Britain’s new golden age of nuclear has roared to life with a landmark agreement between the UK and Czechia to accelerate the rollout of small modular reactors (SMRs).
Signed yesterday at Downing Street, by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Czech PM Petr Fiala, the deal unlocks deep industrial collaboration and a pipeline of potential SMR projects across Europe, helping to create what the government hopes, will be a new export market for British-built clean energy tech.
Rolls-Royce SMR is expected to play a central role, with Czech energy giant ČEZ already holding a 20% stake and eyeing up to six new reactors at home.
SMRs are a game-changer. Unlike traditional nuclear plants, these factory-built reactors are compact, quicker to construct and easier to deploy.
They’re designed to deliver clean, reliable baseload power at lower cost, with standardised components and modular design driving down delivery times.
One unit can power around one million homes. With more rolled out, costs will fall and grid reliability will rise.
The UK is betting big on SMRs as part of its Plan for Change to lower bills and cut dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets.
A total of £2.5 billion has been committed to the programme, with up to 3,000 skilled jobs expected and grid connection aimed for the mid-2030s.
“This agreement is about delivering for Britain – cleaner energy, better jobs and greater security,” said Starmer. “By working with our Czech partners on small modular reactors, we’re backing British engineering and putting the UK in a leading position to export the technologies of the future.”
The momentum follows last week’s announcement that French energy firm EDF will take a 12.5% stake in the Sizewell C nuclear project.
It’s a major vote of confidence in British nuclear. Sizewell C will support 10,000 jobs at peak construction and create 1,500 apprenticeships across the UK.
Combined with Hinkley Point C and future SMR sites, this nuclear wave will deliver more clean energy to the grid in the 2030s than Britain has seen in over 50 years.
With the global SMR market projected to be worth nearly £500 billion by 2050, this UK-Czech partnership puts Britain in pole position to lead Europe’s nuclear revival.
