Rolls-Royce SMR Sends Final Tender to Compete in Great British Nuclear Trials
The company is seeking investments in its supply chain and is moving through evaluations conducted by the U.K. nuclear industry’s independent regulators.
Government-owned Great British Nuclear (GBN) has received the final tender from Rolls-Royce SMR following last year’s shortlisting alongside three global nuclear technology vendors. This final tender comes after a six-month negotiation period of talks about deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) in the United Kingdom. If successful, the technology’s adoption will:
- Encourage supply chain investment
- Generate thousands of long-term, skill-oriented positions
- Create growth opportunities for the country’s nuclear industry
“I am grateful for the dedication and teamwork of everyone at Rolls-Royce SMR who has contributed to our submission,” said Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive. “We have a high-quality team behind our product, and I am confident we have provided a compelling offer to GBN to partner with them in delivering the next generation of nuclear power for the United Kingdom.”
Rolls-Royce SMR is currently advancing through the final assessments conducted by the U.K. nuclear industry’s independent regulators and is further along than competing technology vendors. The technology itself, a factory-built nuclear power plant, will produce safe, reliable, and low-carbon electricity to power 1 million homes for over 60+ years with proven nuclear technology.
Model of factory assembly for SMR power plant; image credit: Rolls-Royce
The company was already chosen by the Czech Republic’s CEZ utility to generate and deliver up to 3 GW of electricity while also being shortlisted in the Vattenfall nuclear technology competition in Sweden. Also, in late February 2025, Siemens Energy and Rolls-Royce SMR announced a supply partnership that locks in Siemens Energy as “its global turbine systems partner” of conventional technology for future SMRs.
Per the agreement, Siemens Energy will exclusively supply steam turbines and generators—with outputs ranging from 20 MW to 1,900 MW—and other auxiliary systems for Rolls-Royce SMR's planned Generation 3+ modular nuclear power plants. The company will support the entire turbine systems package, including design, manufacture, installation, and commissioning for a global fleet of factory-built SMR power plants.The final contract, detailing all specifics, is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Rolls-Royce SMR is developing a "mini nuclear power plant" that relies on its standardized, modular design to be operational faster than traditionally built plants due to its standardized, modular design. Its pressurized water reactors are designed to achieve an electrical output of up to 470 MW.Siemens Energy said that SMRs are a promising technology for the future of nuclear energy and a key factor in the energy transition's success. Compared to conventional nuclear power plants, they are more compact, safer, and more cost-efficient.
Rolls-Royce Nuclear
James Montgomery, Chief Design Engineer for the Rolls-Royce novel nuclear team, and John Mason, Systems Design and Integration Technical Specialist working at Rolls-Royce's Novel Concepts team, spoke to Turbomachinery International last year about their micro-reactor technology.
Micro-reactors are compact, portable reactors that produce thermal energy, which can be used as heat or converted to electric power. They can be quickly deployed and installed. When they utilize a responsive design concept, they can prevent overheating and require fewer components, fewer operators, and less maintenance.
