Great British Nuclear (GBN) has postponed deciding where to build the first mini-nuclear power reactors until after the next elections due to concerns about potential lawsuits from contestants.
The agency in charge of promoting a “nuclear Renaissance” said it would choose small modular reactor designs for public support in the spring and give development contracts by summer.
In the Budget last week, it was revealed that the date for the final selection had been moved back as far as possible to June.
Officials think it is unlikely that contracts will be awarded before the next election, which might happen in May or sometime in the second half of this year.
GBN decided to slow down the design competition because it was worried that the results could be subject to legal challenges via judicial review.
Some bidders may have also requested more time. Six companies were shortlisted: Rolls-Royce; EDF; GE-Hitachi; Holtec NuScale Westinghouse.
This is the latest setback to the SMR Design Competition, first announced in 2015 by former chancellor George Osborne.
Tufan Erginbilgic has warned in recent weeks that his company, Rolls, the leader, could build its first mini-reactor in Europe if ministers fail to accelerate decision-making.
Lincoln Hill, director-general of the Nuclear Industry Association’s policy division, has called for the competition to be completed “as soon as possible”.
He said: “We want it to happen before next year’s elections, otherwise the process would take longer. It is important that we do not lose time.”
“Other nations around the world have already moved forward with nuclear power and we do not want to leave the UK behind.”
We know that the government shares this ambition, and we all want to see it realized. There is still much work to do and supply chains need to be established.
GBN announced that it had also agreed to terms for the purchase of the nuclear sites Wylfa on Anglesey and Oldbury near the River Severn. Both were valued at PS160m.
Insiders in the industry consider Wylfa to be one of Europe’s best undeveloped nuclear sites.
Horizon Nuclear Power, owned by Hitachi, had previously supported both Wylfa & Oldbury but has now pulled out of the project.
On Friday, there were still some questions about whether Horizon’s intellectual properties would be acquired by the Government as part of land purchases. These surveys provided important information about the geology and environment. GBN has not yet done this, but it is still in discussions about the matter.
The nuclear companies who visited Wylfa think that the information they have gained could save up to 12 months in development time if plans are agreed for a large power plant there.
The site, like Oldbury, is also an option for SMRs. According to one source, the site could accommodate up to four mini-reactors and a large nuclear reactor.
Other options include Moorside in Cumbria which is already owned by the public, EDF sites in Heysham, Hartlepool, and Bradwell in Essex, which is owned by China.
A government spokesperson said on Friday: “Our world-leading SMR competition is aiming to be the fastest in its field, helping secure millions of dollars in investment for the UK. This will mean cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy over the long term.
The launch of the tender phase marks a significant milestone, and Great British Nuclear hopes to announce the successful bidders before the end 2024.