Rolls signs £15m deal with Sheffield University for mini-nuke trials
‘Today’s announcement is a testament to the university’s strengths in clean energy research’
ROLLS-ROYCE has signed a £15m deal with Sheffield University to trial manufacturing techniques for small modular reactors (SMRS), in the latest step towards making cheap nuclear power a reality.
Under the agreement, the engineering giant will make the first working prototypes of SMR modules at the university’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. It will then try to work out efficient and repeatable processes that will let the company produce them in large numbers.
The investment was welcomed by Claire Coutinho, the Energy Secretary, who said: “Small modular reactors are the future of nuclear technology, and key to quadrupling the UK’S nuclear capacity by 2050 as part of the biggest expansion in 70 years. This multimillion-pound SMR manufacturing facility will be fantastic for Sheffield – making the Steel City once again the home to world-leading industry.” SMRS will be assembled from hundreds of factory-made modules, which will be transported to sites and then put together “like Lego bricks”.
In the initial phase of the Sheffield University deal, Rolls will spend £2.7m on producing three prototype modules by the end of this year. If that work is successful, the company will spend more than £15m making prototypes of each of the 15 types of modules that will be needed throughout a finished SMR.
Victoria Scott, chief of manufacturing engineering at Rolls-royce SMR, said: “Our investment in setting up this facility and building prototype modules is another significant milestone for our business. This facility will allow us to refine our production, testing and digital approach to manufacturing – helping de-risk our programme and ensure we increase our delivery certainty.”
Prof Koen Lamberts, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “We are very proud that Rolls-royce SMR has chosen to base its module development facility at our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the university’s strengths in clean energy research and innovation, and our expertise in developing leading-edge manufacturing techniques.”
Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, said: “This announcement cements South Yorkshire’s position as the leading place to build small modular reactors, a cutting-edge technology which will be a key part of the global transition to clean energy.”
SMRS are seen as potential game-changers for the nuclear industry because of their modular construction.
In theory, this means they should be quicker to build than traditional, large-scale nuclear power plants and significantly cheaper as well – providing efficiencies through production at scale.