Mott MacDonald signs agreement with Holtec Britain and Hyundai E&C for the SMR-300 programme in the UK

Mott MacDonald has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Holtec Britain and Hyundai E&C to further explore the delivery of Holtec’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology in the UK.

The agreement builds on the Clean Energy Partnership signed between the UK and Korean governments late last year. It also follows the appointment of Mott MacDonald as the delivery partner for the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of Holtec Britain’s Small Modular Reactor SMR-300 in the UK, having secured £30M of grant funding from the UK Government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund for this.

SMR-300 is a pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology based on existing US and UK standards using PWR fuel similar to that already used at Sizewell B and other new UK reactors under development, including Hinkley Point C. This will enable economic viability of fuel fabrication and back-end disposal of the fuel, utilising existing supply chains and further supporting UK energy independence.

The MOU was signed at the Korean Embassy in London, during an event hosted by His Excellency Yoon Yeocheol, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Kingdom, and attended by the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the Republic of Korea, the Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale MP.

Cathy Travers, group managing director, Mott MacDonald said: “SMR technology will bring reliable, affordable and low carbon electricity to industry, homes, and businesses, as well as contributing to the UK government’s ambition of generating 24GW of nuclear capacity by 2050. International collaboration from across the nuclear industry is key to its successful deployment, which is why we are bringing decades of collective experience to bear as we explore this path with Holtec Britain and Hyundai E&C.”