Rolls-Royce SMR
UK
Basics
Reactor Type
Pressurised Water Reactor
Reactor Description
Loop operated PWR
Electric Output (MWe)
470
Thermal Output (MWt)
1358
Size
Large
Spectrum
Thermal
Developer
Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd.
Pilot Site Details
One of four preferred: Trawsfynydd, Sellafield, Wylfa, Oldbury
Details
Use (goal of commercial operation)
Power production
Deployment medium
Land-Based
Design Lifetime (Years)
60
Fuel
Fuel class
LEU
Fuel Type
UO2 Pellets
Fuel Cycle
Open
Cooling & Temperature
Reactor cooling of primary loop
Light Water
Reactor moderator
Light Water
Reactor Outlet Temperature (°C)
325
Status
Design status
Detailed Design
Licensing status
- Since Jul 2024: Ongoing...
- Since Jul 2024: Ongoing pre-licensing generic design assessment (GDA) process final Step 3 in the UK
- Jul 2024 - Applied for regulatory justification decision (one of the required steps for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the UK)
- Jul 2024 - Completed UK pre-licensing GDA Step 2
- Apr 2023 - Completed UK pre-licensing GDA Step 1
- In 2017 - Developed conceptual design
- In 2015 - Developed initial design
Deployment timeline
Early 2030s
Agreements and Engagement
- Oct 2024 - Partnership announced with...
- Oct 2024 - Partnership announced with Czech Republic's CEZ, the company to take 20% stake in Rolls-Royce SMR
- Sep 2024 - Rolls-Royce SMR makes it into a further stage of the UK government process among four shortlisted candidates
- Sep 2024 - Czech Republic chose Rolls-Royce for partnership to build SMR plants
- Jun 2024 - Sweden's Vattenfall shortlists Rolls-Royce SMR in competition to build at least two SMRs at Ringhals NPP
- May 2024 - Poland's Industria Group gets in-principle approval by government to potentially deploy Rolls-Royce SMR (not binding, not a regulatory permit)
- Oct 2023 - UK government includes Rolls-Royce SMR in shortlist for first SMR competition among six vendors
- Memoranda of understanding signed:
- Czech Republic (Škoda JS)
- Turkey (EUAS)
- Estonia (Fermi Energia, though not preferred deployment technology at this stage)
- Netherlands (BAM Infra Nederland and ULC-Energy)
- Finland (Fortum)
- Ukraine (Energoatom)
