Market Intelligence
Civil Nuclear Power United Kingdom

United Kingdom Energy Expansion of SMR Nuclear Development

The UK government has announced a major policy shift to free up additional sites for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) development, reinforcing its commitment to nuclear energy as part of its Net Zero by 2050 strategy. This move aligns with the UK’s ambitions to quadruple nuclear power capacity to 24GW by 2050, with SMRs playing a key role, alongside large-scale projects like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.

Previously, nuclear power projects were limited to eight specific sites identified in the National Policy Statement (NPS) for Nuclear Power Generation (EN-6).

SMRs are being positioned as a resilient, low-carbon baseload power source to reduce reliance on imported energy and meet increasing electricity demand.

The UK Governments SMR Expansion Plan will include the following key points:

  • The UK government will open up more nuclear sites, including existing or decommissioned nuclear locations, for SMR deployment and investment.
  • The UK, via the Great British Nuclear (GBN) SMR competition, is expected to select two preferred SMR technology providers for which to offer a final invitation to tender by June 2025.
  • The UK is actively seeking private sector investment to accelerate SMR deployment, with a regulated asset base (RAB) model or contracts for difference (CfD) as potential funding mechanisms.
  • Potential opportunities for private partnerships with data centers and other energy-intensive industries.

This expansion of available sites for SMR deployment presents significant commercial opportunities for U.S. companies operating across the nuclear supply chain, from SMR developers to advanced component manufacturers (such as pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and control systems), engineering firms, nuclear fuel suppliers and waste management companies. U.S. financial firms can co-invest in UK SMR projects alongside UK government-backed funding initiatives.

U.S. companies have a worldwide reputation for innovative products, after sales service, and training which makes them competitive in the UK market.  The U.S. and UK also share similar business cultures and business practices, which makes the UK an attractive market for U.S. suppliers.

For more information on how to navigate the UK nuclear market, identify partners and leverage trade resources, please contact Leah Kollhoff at leah.kollhoff@trade.gov.