Rolls-Royce SMR Wins Third Largest Contract in Europe
Rolls-Royce SMR has announced its third major contract in Europe with Videberg Kraft, a company backed by Swedish utility group Vattenfall. The contract involves the design of three nuclear power units on the west coast of Sweden, marking the opening of the first new nuclear power plant in the country in more than four decades.
Contract Details
The value of this contract is up to billions of pounds, actively supported by the British government's commercial efforts. This contract adds to Rolls-Royce's existing list of agreements in the UK and Czech Republic, making the company the only SMR developer with multiple binding commitments across Europe.
| Nation | Contract | Projected Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Contract at Wylfa | Not determined |
| Czech Republic | Collaboration at Temelin | Up to 3 GW |
| Sweden | Three SMR unit design | Not determined |
International Cooperation
The contract announcement in Sweden comes shortly after Rolls-Royce, the UK National Nuclear Laboratory and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) signed tripartite memorandums of understanding to promote high hot gas reactor (HTGR) technology and a new generation of nuclear fuel. The program is positioned as a complement to the existing 470 MWe SMR reactor.
New Fuel Technology
The announcement of coated fuel development has profound implications, especially given the UK's history in developing advanced nuclear fuels. Clad fuel is a form of accident-resistant fuel that allows gas reactors to operate at high temperatures, originating from BISO work carried out in the UK on the Dragon reactor program in the 1960s. TRISO has evolved from these early concepts.
United States
Links with the United States also reflect a similar trend. Rolls-Royce has participated in BWXT's Project Pele project for the US Department of Defense, providing power conversion modules for the mobile microreactor that BWXT is building with TRISO fuel, expected to be operational around 2028.
Challenges to Face
Although the list of projects is growing longer and longer, Rolls-Royce, like many other Western reactor developers, is still having difficulty bringing nuclear steel into the works. Site preparation work is still ongoing in the UK, but with significant delays in the country's current major reactor program, it could take years before Rolls-Royce achieves “criticality” status for any new facility.
In the context of the growing nuclear energy market, this event not only opens up opportunities for Rolls-Royce but can also create a positive impact on the entire nuclear energy industry in Europe.