London — Britain and the Czech Republic said on Monday they would work to explore opportunities for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), a partnership that could see Rolls Royce’s SMR business export up to six units to the eastern European country.
Britain last month pledged 2.5 billion pounds to build SMRs, which it hopes can help increase energy security and help the country meet its climate targets while also creating export opportunities and jobs.
SMRs can be made in factories, with parts small enough to be transported on trucks and barges and assembled more quickly and cheaply than large-scale nuclear plants.
“By working with our Czech partners on small modular reactors, we’re backing British engineering, strengthening our industrial base, and putting the UK in a leading position to export the technologies of the future,” UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer said in a statement from Britain’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero that also quoted his Czech counterpart.
Rolls Royce was selected last month to build Britain’s first SMRs. Britain’s state-owned energy company, Great British Energy – expected to sign a contract for the new plants and pick a site later this year, subject to regulatory approval.
Czech electricity producer CEZ last year said it would take a stake of about 20% in Rolls Royce’s SMR business and planned to deploy up to 3 gigawatts of the SMR plants in the country, equivalent to six units, with each unit capable of powering around 1 million homes.
Starmer and Czech Prime Minister Peter Fiala will host a business roundtable as part of the Czech premier’s visit to London, to drive closer trade and investment links between the two countries.
Reporting By Susanna Twidale; Editing by Aidan Lewis – Reuters
