By Joshua Neil
Copyright edie
The landmark Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy sees market access expanded for both UK and US companies, with several major commercial deals announced.
These include a deal between X-Energy and Centrica, with plans to build up to 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool. This would generate enough power for 1.5 million homes, and create up to 2,500 jobs. The project, the companies noted, could be worth £40bn in economic value, with £12bn of value within the North East of England alone.
The suite of deals would also include an £11bn project between Holtec, EDF and Tritax creating advanced data centres powered by small modular reactors in Nottinghamshire, and a project between Last Energy and DP World, backed by £80m in private investment, to establish one of the world’s first micro modular nuclear power plants.
It also includes a £4m deal between Urenco and Radiant to supply advanced HALEU fuel to the US market, and a plan between TerraPower and KBR to conduct studies and evaluate UK sites for the deployment of the Ntrium advanced reactor technology, with each reactor supporting around 1,600 construction jobs and 250 permanent jobs.
Under the deal, the US and UK could fast-track reactor design checks for those reactors already rigorously checked in one country to avoid duplication of work. This would cut nuclear approvals for advanced designs, such as the Rolls-Royce SMR, from three to four years to just two.
The deal has the potential to create around 2,500 jobs in Teesside, going beyond the already 11,000 jobs created in 2025 through government-led investment, according to Nuclear Industry Association statistics.
The partnership also extends to fusion energy through co-ordinated experimental programmes, in which AI technology is used to create advanced simulation tools. Following this, a global fusion energy policy summit will be co-hosted in the US in 2026, to strengthen international cooperation on fusion energy.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This landmark UK-US nuclear partnership is not just about powering our homes, it’s about powering our economy, our communities, and our ambition. These major commitments set us well on course to a golden age of nuclear that will drive down household bills in the long run, while delivering thousands of good jobs in the short term.
“Together with the US, we’re building a golden age of nuclear that puts both countries at the forefront of global innovation and investment.”
Prior projects
Expanded nuclear power is central to the UK Government’s clean energy mission, part of the UK’s drive to build more clean power for improved energy security.
This deal is part of what has been described by the UK Government as a ‘golden age’ of nuclear, and follows a £38bn investment in the Sizewell C nuclear power plant by investors including the UK Government, Canadian multinational La Caisse, British energy giant Centrica, EDF and Amber Infrastructure.
The Sizewell C plant will have an operating lifespan of at least 60 years. While project costs have grown from £20bn over the years, partly due to inflation, the UK Government maintains that it represents value for money, with £2bn of avoided annual electricity system costs predicted compared to renewables.
Critics of the nuclear power drive have raised objections that the nuclear fuel cycle produces significant volumes of dangerous waste, some of which remains radioactive for thousands of years. However, proponents highlight nuclear power’s low-carbon nature and ability to reliably generate energy at any time of day, at scale.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband stated: “We’re kickstarting a golden age of nuclear in this country, joining forces with the US to turbocharge new nuclear developments and secure the technologies of the future.
“Nuclear will power our homes with clean, homegrown energy and the private sector is building it in Britain, delivering growth and well-paid skilled jobs for working people.”
