Rolls-Royce advances for modular nuclear reactors to power 3 million homes

Rolls-Royce SMR has been selected to build the UK’s first fleet of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), aiming to install up to 3 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power capacity using its 470 MWe reactor design. Each SMR unit is designed to generate 470 megawatts of low-carbon energy, enough to power over a million homes for at least 60 years, with the entire project expected to power around 3 million homes. The reactors are pressurized water reactors with a projected operational life of at least six decades. This initiative represents the first new nuclear power station design and build in the UK in over a generation, offering a modular, factory-built approach to simplify construction, reduce costs, and avoid delays common in traditional nuclear projects. The modular design involves building 90% of each SMR unit in factory conditions before transporting them for final assembly, necessitating a robust and geographically diverse supply chain. Rolls-Royce SMR has signed a