RollsRoyce SMR Hosts Winners of ‘Central Europe SMR Challenge’

RollsRoyce SMR welcomed the winning student team from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics to its Manchester headquarters, following their success in a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Challenge.

The challenge, supported by the British Embassy in Budapest and RollsRoyce SMR, invited teams of students to explore what it would take to develop and deploy a RollsRoyce SMR in Central Europe, with a particular focus on Hungary. Participants examined a wide range of considerations including SMR technology, regulatory and siting requirements, company structures and financing models, as well as public engagement and public approval.

Five teams submitted projects to the competition, with Core Nuclear named as overall winners. The team impressed judges by creating a fictional energy company, Dievas Energy, guided by the vision “Bringing energy closer to you.” Over a period of less than three months - and alongside their university exams - the students delivered outstanding, comprehensive work across all subject areas.

Alan Woods, Strategy & Business Development Director at RollsRoyce SMR, said: “Our work with universities both in the UK and internationally signals RollsRoyce SMR’s intent to invest in our customer communities and to deliver real initiatives that develop the future skills we will all need to design, build and operate SMRs—helping to provide clean, affordable energy for all.”

As part of their prize, the winning team visited RollsRoyce SMR’s Manchester Head Office, where they met senior business leaders and discussed future career opportunities in the nuclear and clean energy sectors. On the second day, the students presented on their project and toured the ‘Experi’ Facility at the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Factory 2050, seeing firsthand how their research aligned with RollsRoyce SMR’s approach to modularisation which will transform the way nuclear projects are delivered.

The SMR Challenge demonstrates RollsRoyce SMR’s ongoing commitment to education, international collaboration, and the development of future talent to support the global transition to low carbon energy.