Rolls-Royce SMR has signed a landmark agreement in the UK with Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) to begin work on three small modular reactors (SMRs) at Wylfa, on the coast of Ynys Môn.
The contract enables immediate progress on site and marks a major step toward delivering what is expected to be Europe’s first fleet of SMRs. It provides the certainty needed for Rolls-Royce SMR to advance its site-specific design, order key components, and scale up recruitment to deliver the initial three units.
The Wylfa project was first announced in November 2025 by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who confirmed the site would host the country’s first SMRs.
Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive, said: “This contract unlocks the delivery of our first three units at Wylfa and is a tangible example of the Government’s ‘golden age’ of new nuclear being delivered successfully with British technology.
“This brings certainty to the UK SMR programme and differentiates our business as the only SMR company with multiple commitments in Europe – an initial three units at Wylfa and up to six units in Czechia.
“We are transforming the way nuclear projects are delivered, to give greater cost and schedule certainty with a standardised, factory-built approach. This project is important to the UK’s energy security and will power up our business and the UK supply chain.”
The development is expected to create around 3,000 jobs locally at Wylfa and a further 5,000 jobs across the UK, boosting the domestic supply chain and nuclear workforce.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “This investment, along with vital financing from the National Wealth Fund, will strengthen our energy security, create skilled jobs and help to build a new generation of homegrown nuclear technology that will power our economy for decades to come.
“We have the right economic plan – one where growth and clean energy go hand in hand – and one that will benefit everyone across the country.”
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