Cranberry Township, PA – October 2, 2023 – Westinghouse Electric Company today announced our AP300™ small modular reactor (SMR), the only SMR based on a licensed, operating nuclear reactor, has been selected for the next phase of Great British Nuclear’s competitive technology selection process.
Great British Nuclear launched in July 2023 to enhance U.K. energy security and grow the clean economy through the “rapid expansion of new nuclear energy plants.” Westinghouse has a 75-year history operating in the U.K. at its nuclear manufacturing facility at Springfields. Today, Westinghouse has a world class workforce of approximately 1,000 employees in the U.K. and supplies advanced nuclear fuel for the British reactor fleet.
“Congratulations to Great British Nuclear on their swift progress. We are proud to provide our proven, advanced AP300 SMR technology to build a more secure, cleaner energy future. Westinghouse will leverage our deep U.K. and global nuclear heritage, expertise and delivery in support of the U.K.’s net zero and energy security ambitions,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO. “We look forward to this opportunity to demonstrate that the AP300 SMR is the best option for the U.K.”
In May 2023, Westinghouse launched the AP300 small modular reactor, the only SMR based on an advanced, large Generation III+ reactor already in operation globally, the proven AP1000® technology. Unlike every other SMR under development with first-of-a-kind technologies and risks, Westinghouse’s AP300 SMR utilizes the AP1000 engineering, components and supply chain, enabling streamlined licensing and leveraging available technical skills. Together, these factors provide confidence that the first operating unit will be available in the early 2030s. The advantageous economics of the AP300 SMR are based on robust analysis and existing project costs from AP1000 reactors already in operation or development on three continents. The AP300 SMR is already under consideration by customers in the U.K., Europe, and North America.