Rolls-Royce to Build Mini Nuclear Plants in Britain

The nuclear plant in Thorpe Marsh, England, has been abandoned since it was shut down in 1994 (Flickr).

Rolls-Royce plans to go ahead with its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) business after being backed by the British government and private investors, according to the New York Times. Due to go up in the 2030s, the SMRs are smaller and less expensive than the typical nuclear reactor but generate less power. The plan is part of a larger effort by the British government to replace old nuclear power plants and to reduce Britain’s carbon emissions.

The U.K.’s first nuclear reactor was built in Harwell in 1947 in an effort to demonstrate the possibility of a transition to nuclear power and its success, according to the Guardian. Rolls-Royce has been engaged in work with nuclear power since the 1950s with nuclear submarines. Since then, they have expanded their technologies up through the SMRs. 

The British government has emphasized the importance of reducing their carbon emissions through their funding of various efforts to improve green technology. The multibillion pound grant will go toward replacing more than half of the country’s nuclear power which is due to retire by 2025, according to the Guardian. As one of the first countries to invest in nuclear energy, the U.K. now faces the problem of ensuring the replacement of this energy, which the country has become heavily reliant on since its first reactor in 1947. 

The plan aims to not only replace retiring nuclear reactors, but to provide a significant number of jobs, as reported by the New York Times. Additionally, the government hopes that the efforts will allow for the creation of an export market of nuclear plants and provide a much-needed boost in investment within the UK. Rolls-Royce has already seen an increase in their share value, according to Reuters.

Both France and the United States are working on similar proposals for small reactors, per the New York Times. As part of a larger global effort to reduce carbon emissions, nuclear plants have become controversial due to the risk of accidents and threat of complications, as Europe moves ahead with its plans to increase the share of its power that comes from nuclear reactors. Concerns have also been raised about the lack of planning and the cost, according to the BBC. More expensive than other renewable technologies, the SMRs do not yet have a blueprint and lack planning in terms of waste disposal, which could create issues as the planning goes ahead.

The pressure to be carbon neutral has allowed for innovation in terms of green technology that is seen through the SMRs. While nuclear power remains controversial, Rolls-Royce’s plan marks an important innovation in nuclear technology that reduces the necessary space and money required for a nuclear plant. The European movement toward nuclear power may provide important insight for the future of a global carbon-free power generation.