A consortium headed by Polish industrialist Michał Sołowow has unveiled ambitious plans to construct 14 small modular reactors at three locations throughout the United Kingdom, with a proposed investment of £35 billion in private capital. The proposed facilities would generate sufficient electricity to power approximately 8 million UK homes over more than six decades, with potential capacity to support data center operations in partnership with major technology firms.
The development company SGE, which is leading the initiative, plans to allocate between £2.2 billion and £2.5 billion per reactor site. The 300 megawatt facilities would utilize the GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 boiling water reactor design, developed through collaboration with US manufacturer GE Vernova and Japanese conglomerate Hitachi. The consortium aims to finalize site selections within approximately one year and secure a government support contract guaranteeing competitive electricity pricing upon generation commencement in 2034.
While specific site locations have not been announced publicly, the Guardian reported that the consortium has submitted an application for the Oldbury site in south Gloucestershire, which was designated earlier in the year as a potential location under the government’s advanced nuclear framework. This framework is designed to accelerate the deployment of nuclear technologies across the nation. Sołowow emphasized the project’s alignment with the UK’s experienced nuclear workforce and stressed the importance of utilizing the domestic supply chain.
The initiative operates within the broader context of government efforts to expand nuclear capacity nationwide. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promoted collaboration between technology companies and the government to develop small modular reactors supporting energy-intensive artificial intelligence data centers. SGE’s proposal positions it as a competitor to Rolls-Royce, which secured a government competition earlier to commence power generation by 2032 at the earliest.
The consortium has structured its financial model using a contracts for difference scheme, similar to arrangements offered for the Hinkley Point C project, which guarantees fixed payment rates from energy bills once generation begins. This approach contrasts with the model employed for Sizewell C, where developers receive payments during construction, potentially exposing consumers to higher costs if project delays occur. Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the nuclear industry association, noted that the proposal demonstrates how the government’s nuclear framework has successfully stimulated private sector engagement in nuclear development.
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