UK Government Chooses RollsRoyce SMRs Over US Bid for Welsh Nuclear Plant

The UK Government has opted to proceed with Rolls-Royce’s small modular reactors at Wylfa in Anglesey, declining a proposal from the American firm Westinghouse to construct a larger-scale nuclear facility at the same site. This decision, which has provoked a strong response from US officials, concludes several months of intense lobbying by competing nuclear companies for one of Britain’s most favoured new nuclear sites.

Warren Stephens, the US ambassador to the UK, publicly criticised the move, calling it “extremely disappointing.” The White House and US state agencies had lobbied heavily for Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor design, highlighting its tried and tested performance in the United States and China. However, ministers have instead selected a project backed by Rolls-Royce, Qatar Investment Authority, US provider Constellation, French investor BNF Resources, and the Czech state company ČEZ. This approach is set to deliver a fleet of up to three small modular reactors, with Wylfa identified as the lead site.

Behind the decision, sources indicate the Government prioritised rapid deployment and minimising delays that would arise from further competitive bidding. Wylfa’s established infrastructure and the shelved plans for previous nuclear developments gave it an advantage in the selection process. Ministers are convinced that Rolls-Royce’s modular design can be built more swiftly and efficiently, meeting rising energy security and cost challenges more effectively than the larger and more complex Westinghouse alternative.

The new SMR facility, to be managed by the government’s Great British Energy Nuclear in partnership with Rolls-Royce, is expected to power around three million homes by the mid-2030s and create approximately 3,000 jobs on Anglesey. There are ambitions to expand capacity to up to eight reactors on site in the future. The Government framed this as a milestone in its strategy to secure domestic energy supply and promote industrial renewal.

Despite the official optimism, American officials voiced frustration not only at the decision itself but also the way in which it was communicated. They suggested there was inadequate advance warning provided to their counterparts in Washington. The Westinghouse consortium had sought funding for further studies and more time to develop the business case; the UK’s resolve to accelerate the nuclear programme ultimately carried the day for Rolls-Royce.

This new direction puts British technology and investment at the forefront of the country’s nuclear renaissance and reinforces the broader strategy to position domestic players at the heart of the energy transition. The Government maintains that reliable and affordable energy provision remains central to its ambitions for broad-based economic growth.