Final shortlist announced for first Rolls-Royce SMR factory
Final shortlist announced for first Rolls-Royce SMR factory
19th December 2022
The three sites from which Rolls-Royce SMR will select the location of its first factory have been announced. The heavy pressure vessels (HPV) factory will produce components for a fleet of small modular reactors (SMR) designed and built here in the UK.
· The International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), Sunderland and South Tyneside
· Teesworks, Teesside
· Gateway, Deeside
The final down-selection was made following a series of visits and further assessments of each site’s suitability to host the HPV factory.
Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive, Tom Samson, said: “I want to thank everyone involved in the selection process and offer my congratulations to the three that have made the final shortlist.
“This is part of the process to build the first of at least three factories that will manufacture components for a fleet of small modular reactors and will present an incredible opportunity for a region of the UK. Our power stations will be built in British factories situated in the north of England or Wales and will generate tens of thousands of long-term highly skilled jobs - accelerating regional economic growth.”
The decision on the location will be made early next year after final evaluations and detailed assessments are made against the requirements and criteria for the factory, which will manufacture and assemble some of the largest and most complex components of the Rolls-Royce SMR power station. To ensure commercial processes move in parallel, negotiations will be initiated when Rolls-Royce SMR has entered formal discussions on deployment with the Government.
Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “This is a huge vote of confidence for the North from Rolls-Royce SMR. Once government negotiates a deal to underpin the necessary private investment, we should be able to build a fleet of power stations across the UK, using cutting edge, homegrown technology.
“The green industrial revolution - with Small Modular Reactor technology at its heart - is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to put the North at the forefront of the transition to net zero, creating thousands of well-paid, skilled jobs and turbocharging our productivity.”
A fleet of Rolls-Royce SMR power stations will increase the UK’s energy security and support net zero targets by generating low-carbon electricity from a sustainable source for generations to come.
As the only SMR in Europe currently in the regulatory process, there is also an enormous opportunity to export this leading British technology around the globe.
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Dan Gould, Head of Communications
Rolls-Royce SMR
M +44 (0) 7717 720809
Notes to Editors:
All of the initial responses will be retained and separate selection processes will be run for the following two factory locations (civils modules and MEP modules).
Rolls-Royce SMR will draw upon standard nuclear energy technology that has been used in 400 reactors around the world.
The Rolls-Royce SMR power station will have the capacity to generate 470MW of low carbon energy, equivalent to more than 150 onshore wind turbines and enough to power a million homes. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years, helping to support the roll out of renewable generation and overcome intermittency issues.
Facts on the HPV factory
· The Factory is expected to be around 23,000 SqM in size – equivalent to 4 football pitches
· The factory has a value to the region of £100-200 million and will create long-term high-skilled jobs
· The site will create 200+ permanent roles
