Britain has a need for nuclear power and a world leading company, Rolls-Royce, able to provide it. The company – and trade union Unite – wants the government to seize the opportunity.
Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) can make an important contribution to Britain’s electricity generation. The procurement process is nearing completion after nearly two years.
Rolls-Royce has submitted its final tender to Great British Nuclear after six months of negotiations. Three overseas-based bids are also on the short list. Rolls-Royce has already been chosen to provide SMRs to CEZ in the Czech Republic and has been shortlisted for deployment of this technology in Sweden.
The company says that choosing this British technology will be transformational – unlocking supply chain investment, creating thousands of long-term high-skilled jobs and generating opportunities for growth.
The incoming Labour government continued with the completion initiated by its predecessor, which is open to overseas companies. Neither considered it vital for Britain’s energy security and industrial future to give preference to British technology.
Rolls-Royce says that each SMR-based nuclear power plant will generate enough stable low-carbon electricity to power a million homes for over 60 years. The nuclear technology is proven, but this will constitute a new approach to deploying it.
At the time the Sunak government set this in motion, trade union Unite, with many members working in engineering, argued that SMRs should be designed and built in Britain. Nothing has changed.
In early April media reports said that prime minister Keir Starmer is ready to approve the adoption of SMRs, as well as investment in Sizewell C. That’s welcome news, so long as it happens (the reports quoted no source and were based on anonymous briefings). And so long as Starmer does not forget this new-found commitment to British industry.