Following today’s announcement by Rolls Royce SMR and the UK Government, Chris Ball, Managing Director – Nuclear & Power, Atkins, who led the civil, structural and architectural design of the RR SMR power station, said:
“We welcome the announcement today to progress the design of small modular reactors. New nuclear will be a vital part the UK’s future energy mix and both large- and small-scale projects will play a critical role in delivering reliable, carbon-free electricity to fuel the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.
“Decarbonising the UK’s power system by 2035 requires investment in innovation and the rapid development of new solutions, alongside the deployment of proven generating technology. The UK must achieve an unprecedented build rate to transform its energy infrastructure and the modular design and swift construction potential of these SMRs means they could play a significant role in meeting the UK’s ambitious targets. Atkins predict that the UK build rate for new power generation must increase from a maximum ever 6GW/pa to 9-12GW/pa year after year to meet our decarbonisation targets.
“The progression of SMRs alongside the recent commitment to adopt a new nuclear funding model for large projects mean that new nuclear in the UK is once again gathering momentum. We look forward to continuing our involvement with this new generation of nuclear technology in the UK as we work towards achieving Net Zero.”
Atkins – a Phase One Consortium Partner – led the civil, structural and architectural design for the Rolls Royce SMR power station. The design is heavily influenced by modular development and modern construction methods which will ensure power station components can be manufactured in a factory and assembled on site. Atkins is a member of the SNC-Lavalin group.
