Last month, Westinghouse Electric Co hosted representatives from more than 130 vendors to its UK Supplier Symposium, a two-day event in Lancashire that provided a ‘forum to engage with current and potential suppliers for Westinghouse’s numerous potential nuclear new build projects in UK’.

The company said the recent publication of the Civil Nuclear Roadmap has confirmed the UK’s ambition to ‘deliver 24GW of new nuclear capacity by 2050 and establish a secure and independent nuclear fuel supply chain’, adding that it is preparing to meet this vision with its proven, globally deployed gigawatt-scale AP1000 reactor and its complementary AP300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR), as well as in-country fuel and fuel service capability.

“The AP300 SMR continues to advance through the technology selection process with Great British Nuclear (GBN). Also, Westinghouse recently signed an agreement with Community Nuclear Power Ltd to deploy four AP300 SMRs in North Teesside, advancing the UK’s first privately financed SMR project. Both are significant steps in making this new energy sector a reality with commercial operation expected by the early 2030s.”

Rita Baranwal, Westinghouse’s senior vice president for Energy Systems, added: “Westinghouse sees tremendous opportunity for our local supplier partners in the UK as we advance these vital projects. We have a long history of working side-by-side with the British nuclear industry and that legacy will continue for decades to come. With the Roadmap also committing to a new Gigawatt project and UK fuel and fuel services capability, we felt that now was the perfect moment to both help the supply chain understand the breadth and scale of opportunity, and our requirements to ensure delivery with sustainable social value.”

In May 2023, Westinghouse launched the AP300 small modular reactor, the only SMR based on ‘an advanced, large Generation III+ reactor already in operation globally’, namely the proven AP1000 technology.

Rita Baranwal explained: “Unlike every other SMR under development with first-of-a-kind technologies and risks, Westinghouse’s AP300 SMR uses the AP1000 engineering, components, and supply chain, enabling streamlined licensing and leveraging available technical skills. Together, these factors provide confidence that the first operating unit will be available in the early 2030s.

“The advantageous economics of the AP300 SMR are based on robust analysis and existing project costs from AP1000 reactors already in operation or development on three continents. Besides the UK, the AP300 SMR is also under consideration by customers in Europe and North America.”