Rolls-Royce was listed as the UK’s most sought-after nuclear power plant manufacturer

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) – Rolls-Royce SMR has passed the first stage of a British government competition to select manufacturers of small nuclear reactors (SMRs), the company said on Monday, marking a major step forward for the technology as Britain seeks. to increase its energy capacity.

Rolls-Royce, whose main business is making engines for large passenger jets, is the only company whose SMR technology is being reviewed by European regulators.

SMRs can be built more quickly with smaller scale reactors, with parts small enough to be transported by truck and barge.

“Achieving the local contract is critical to unlocking the huge global export potential of our clean energy technology,” Rolls-Royce SMR CEO Chris Cholerton said in a statement.

The SMR competition was first announced in March, with the process overseen by Great Britain Nuclear, a government agency set up to help increase Britain’s nuclear capacity to 24GW by 2050.

The selected companies will begin negotiations with the government, which will make a final decision in 2029, subject to approval by the UK Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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