Westinghouse has announced plans to deploy the UK’s first privately-financed fleet of small modular reactors, with proposals for four AP300 reactors in North Teesside.
Westinghouse Electric Company has signed an agreement with Community Nuclear Power (CNP) to develop the project, with the aim of commercial operation in the early 2030s.
“This project brings together Westinghouse’s proven technology and mature supply chain with our depth of expertise in nuclear programme delivery, in a region that is transforming its industrial landscape,” said Paul Foster, Community Nuclear Power’s CEO. “We are delighted to be working with Westinghouse in support of private deployment in North Teesside.”
Westinghouse says the project complements its participation in Great British Nuclear’s SMR technology selection process, and is in line with the government’s current consultation on alternative routes to market for new nuclear projects.
“We want to thank Community Nuclear Power for this tremendous opportunity to deliver our advanced, proven AP300 SMR technology to the UK market,” said David Durham, Westinghouse President, Energy Systems. “Our AP300 SMR is ideally suited not just to support grid generation, but also for industrial sites for generating clean and secure energy and the ability to produce hydrogen, e-fuels, desalination and district heating.”
The AP300 is the only SMR based on an existing gigawatt-scale Generation III+ reactor, the AP1000. Westinghouse says that using the AP1000 engineering, components and supply chain enables streamlined licensing and leverages the available technical skills.
Westinghouse held its first UK suppliers symposium focused on the AP300 and AP1000 programmes on 6-7 February. The event in Preston was co-hosted by the Nuclear AMRC.
The Teesside plan is supported by strategic partners including Jacobs and Interpath Advisory, and aims to develop a fully licensed site by 2027.
