Rolls-Royce SMR has been selected by the Swedish development company Videberg Kraft to build small modular reactors (SMRs) in Sweden, marking a major multibillion-pound export win for the UK and a breakthrough moment for British nuclear.
Last year Great British Energy – Nuclear selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred technology partner for the UK Government’s own SMR programme. The UK’s first SMR project will be built at Wylfa in North Wales and it is estimated that it will support around 3,000 jobs at peak construction and thousands more across the UK supply chain.
Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, Rolls-Royce plc, said:
“Rolls-Royce SMR has now been successful in every competitively tendered SMR selection process in Europe and it is now very well placed to become a market leader globally. Success in Sweden shows the real momentum that Rolls-Royce SMR is generating as it builds upon its crucial first-mover advantage in a market that is growing and attracting significant international interest.
“Selection by Videberg Kraft reinforces the status of Rolls-Royce SMR as the only company with multiple contractual commitments to deliver SMR units in Europe. It is an endorsement of our technology and technical capability to deliver a scalable, repeatable nuclear solution.
“This selection is also further evidence that the strategic choices we have made in the transformation of Rolls-Royce are delivering. We are unlocking significant future growth opportunities through our unique nuclear capabilities and are well positioned to benefit from the ongoing nuclear renaissance.”
The multibillion-pound Swedish deal was supported by a UK Government export campaign, including a visit by Business Secretary Peter Kyle to Sweden earlier this year.
The UK Government said it would open up significant opportunities for UK and European supply chains, supporting thousands of skilled jobs and long-term economic growth across both countries.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:
“I’m unashamedly backing British business on the world stage and that’s why I went to Stockholm earlier this year to champion this partnership, and it’s great to see Government’s effort paying off.
“This is a major vote of confidence in Rolls-Royce SMR and the UK’s world‑leading civil nuclear sector — showing that, thanks to our Modern Industrial Strategy, Britain is the partner of choice for the next generation of clean energy.
“At a time of global instability, this deal strengthens Europe’s energy security while creating jobs, driving investment and growing our supply chains at home and with partners like Sweden — backing British industry to deliver clean, reliable power for decades to come.”
