Westinghouse proposes U.K. development partnership

Westinghouse Electric Company recently issued a proposal to the British government to form a development partnership tasked with developing small modular reactor (SMR) technology.

The partnership would complement the current study of SMR technology that British officials have already undertaken. The partnership would take the form of a joint enterprise owned by British industry, the government and Westinghouse.

With the inclusion of industrial partners, the proposal matches the goals of the United Kingdom's program for leadership in SMR development.

Westinghouse is currently discussing potential partnerships with companies in the United Kingdom.  

“The UK has a long and distinguished record in nuclear energy that dates back to construction of the Calder Hall plant almost 60 years ago,” Jeff Benjamin, senior vice president for Westinghouse New Plants and Major Projects, said. “We are proposing a strategy that would put the UK at the forefront of SMR development, advancing its standing in nuclear energy innovation and creating significant economic opportunities through leadership in the global market.”

Westinghouse currently has an SMR design with primary components within the reactor vessel that would consist of a 225 megawatt integral pressurized water reactor.