An independent report by Aurora Energy has shown the wide-ranging benefits that a fleet of Rolls-Royce Small Modular Power plants can deliver as part of the UK’s efforts to strengthen energy security, lower household bills and reach net-zero targets through the 2030s.
Alastair Evans, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Government and Corporate Affairs Director, said: “Rolls-Royce SMR’s unique ‘factory-built’ solution brings innovation to the design and delivery of nuclear power plants, to reduce risk and increase delivery certainty.
“This is an enlightening report that clearly shows how, with a commitment from Government to deploy a fleet of small modular reactors, we can make a hugely positive impact on security of supply, decarbonisation and the cost of energy.”
Amid fresh concerns around gas and electricity price rises, and with researchers expecting prices to remain above their pre-crisis levels until the late 2030’s, the Aurora research revealed that a fleet of SMRs would lower wholesale power prices and almost remove the need to build new gas fired power stations.
Working alongside existing intermittent renewables, SMRs would provide consistent low-carbon energy, significantly reducing exposure to the volatility in supply and cost of imported gas. The UK Government has a target to make the power sector net zero by 2035. However, the Committee on Climate Change has highlighted that, on the current rate of progress, the UK will miss this. This gap would be closed significantly by the rollout of Rolls-Royce SMRs throughout the 2030s.
Rolls-Royce SMR is making progress through the independent regulatory Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process to secure consent for their technology to operate in the UK.
