Great British Energy – Nuclear formally kicks off the UK’s first small modular reactor program by signing a contract with Rolls-Royce SMR to progress detailed design, planning and regulatory work.

Funding supports Rolls-Royce’s SMR design work for units planned at the Wylfa site on Anglesey, Wales.

The National Wealth Fund commits up to £599 million to back development, aiming to attract private capital and position UK-designed SMRs for export as well as domestic use.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband says this is the biggest nuclear build initiative in half a century, aiming to end years of delay in the UK’s nuclear sector.

At peak, the project is expected to create up to 3,000 construction jobs and generate broader benefits across the supply chain.

Milestones include site-specific design, regulatory engagement, and planning processes leading to a final investment decision for construction.

Reeves says the investment strengthens energy security, creates skilled jobs, and builds homegrown nuclear technology for decades, with about 1,000 Rolls-Royce jobs expected from the funding.

The programme fits a broader shift toward domestic, stable energy sources amid volatility in geopolitics and fossil-fuel dependence.

Leaders praise the milestone: Simon Bowen calls it immense for the sector, Simon Roddy calls it a landmark, and Chancellor Reeves highlights energy security and skilled job creation.

Critics have long cited high costs, long build times, and waste disposal concerns as challenges for SMR deployment.

Wylfa site has a history: operated 1971–2015, Hitachi aban doned a new project in 2020, and the site was acquired by state-owned GBE-N in 2024.

The plan envisions three factory-built SMRs delivering around 1.4 GW of electricity, enough for about three million homes, potentially by the mid-2030s.