Sheffield Forgemasters to collaborate with nuclear energy firms on plans to build fleet of 40 small reactors in UK

Carol Tansley, vice president, UK new build projects at X-energy said: “We're delighted to be collaborating with Sheffield Forgemasters, which is a world-renowned industry leader in its field. Our technology will be the first small modular reactor operational in the US and we want to build on that progress by moving forward quickly with our UK programme.

“In delivering that fleet we want to maximise the involvement of the UK supply chain as part of our target to achieve 80 per cent by value UK content. The MoU with a company with the experience and capabilities of Sheffield Forgemasters is a crucial step in that journey.”

Ms Tansley added that a UK fleet of 40 reactors would see the firm play a “crucial role in delivering clean electricity and industrial decarbonisation,” as well as creating opportunities for companies across the UK.

The announcement follows former Government minister and Sheffield MP Richard Caborn writing to the Government late last year, with proposals to make South Yorkshire a national centre of excellence for supplying the UK’s nuclear technology industry.

The proposal was sent to the then Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg on behalf of the Sheffield Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Consortium, following initial meetings with other Government ministers and officials earlier in the year.

As well as producing electricity, X Energy’s reactors are capable of producing high temperature heat and steam for “clean” industrial applications.

The reactors are designed to use the firm’s TRISO-X fuel, which consists of particles around the size of a snooker ball which are filled with thousands of kernels of uranium encased in triple layers of carbon ceramic material.

In the US, X Energy has broken ground on a site in Tennessee to create the fuel, and will build its first reactor on the Gulf Coast in Texas.

This will consist of four of the company's Xe-100 reactors, which are designed to work together to create 320 megawatts of electric power and 800 megawatts of thermal.

Dominic Ashmore, head of strategy and business development – clean energy at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The UK’s civil nuclear development is part of our business strategy and this MOU is the latest in a line of agreements that we have signed with a number of SMR companies looking to deploy in the UK market.

“Our work with X-Energy and Cavendish Nuclear will provide specialist engineering services, support and components including forgings, to the UK Xe-100 deployment programme.

“Sheffield Forgemasters will undertake a detailed review of the Xe-100 forgings and look to facilitate more definitive cost estimates and production plans.”