UK to Build First Small Modular Reactor... US "Extremely Disappointed by This Decision"

Wylfa Site on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales Selected
Rolls-Royce to Lead SMR Design

Reuters has reported that the United Kingdom has decided to build its first Small Modular Reactor (SMR) in North Wales. SMRs are next-generation reactors that can reduce both the construction time and cost compared to traditional large-scale nuclear power plants.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is speaking at a meeting with religious leaders held on the 12th (local time) at Downing Street in London. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The UK government has supported SMRs as a way to quickly and affordably strengthen energy security and meet climate change goals. The site selected for the SMR is Wylfa, located on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, where a nuclear power plant previously operated.

However, the United States, which had sought to build a large-scale nuclear power plant in the area led by American companies, has protested this decision.

The United States had promoted a plan for Westinghouse to lead a large-scale nuclear power project, but the UK has chosen to have its own aircraft engine and automobile manufacturer, Rolls-Royce, take the lead in SMR design.

The New York Times assessed that this decision "ends years of uncertainty over the fate of land long considered the UK's best nuclear power site."

The new SMR is expected to generate enough electricity to supply up to three million households and will be connected to the grid in the 2030s. The UK government expects the construction of the SMR to create up to 3,000 jobs and attract billions of pounds in investment.

US Ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens, said in a statement, "We are extremely disappointed by this decision," adding, "There are already approved options that can provide cleaner, safer, cheaper, and faster energy at the same location."

The UK government stated that it is considering building new large-scale nuclear power plants in other regions and has instructed the state-owned company GB Energy-Nuclear to find a suitable site by the fall of 2026.

A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Wylfa is the optimal location for small modular reactors and emphasized that the UK is eager to cooperate with the United States in the field of nuclear energy.