Cavendish Nuclear shares in new funding for advanced modular reactors

Cavendish Nuclear and X-energy have secured funding from the UK government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to develop ‘Xe-100s’ – advanced modular reactors (AMRs) for the UK.

The £3.34 million award will be matched by X-energy for a total programme price tag of £6.68 million.

This money will go towards the development of UK-specific deployment plans for AMRs, including an assessment of domestic manufacturing and supply chain opportunities, constructability, modularisation studies and fuel management.

The two firms are also set to partner with construction group Kier to support constructability and supply chain analyses, joining Sheffield Forgemasters and the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre on the project.

Last year, the duo also signed a memorandum of understanding with Howden – the Glasgow-based gas circulation component manufacturer – and will also work with Nuclear Waste Services to review the approach to spent fuel management.

Andrew Bowie, minister for nuclear and renewables, said “We’re backing innovation in nuclear – from building large-scale plants better to encouraging new advanced technologies – to achieve our ambition for a quarter of our electricity to come from nuclear power by 2050.

“This funding supports the next step in the development of advanced modular reactors and shows our commitment to keeping the UK at the forefront of nuclear technology.”

Mick Gornall, MD of Gloucestershire-based Cavendish Nuclear, added: “As X-energy’s UK deployment partner, we’re pleased to welcome this award as a key step forward.

“A fleet of Xe-100s can complement renewables by providing constant or flexible power and produce steam to decarbonise industry and manufacture hydrogen and synthetic transport fuels.

“Deployment in the UK will create thousands of high-quality, long-term jobs across the country.”

X-energy and Cavendish Nuclear are proposing to develop a multibillion-pound 12-reactor plant at Hartlepool, to be ready by the early 2030s.

They plan to build a fleet of up to 40 of the advanced small modular Xe-100 reactors in the UK, creating thousands of jobs in construction and operations.

This would provide 3,200 MW of electricity – enough power for 6 million homes, or 8,000 MW of versatile high temperature heat and steam to support zero-carbon manufacturing and industrial processes.

The companies will look to engage with UK nuclear regulators to evaluate approaches to licensing the Xe-100 AMR.

The design is already progressing through initial assessments by nuclear regulators in Canada and the United States.