Extracts from Estimates
Day debate on Energy Infrastructure
(North West Leicestershire)
(Reclaim): The right hon. Gentleman talks about the long-term
future for nuclear, and I agree, but surely the small modular
reactors that we are currently looking at are not revolutionary
technology; they are submarine engines. Rolls-Royce at
Derby assured us that, with an order, it could have one up and
running in five years.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con): We took evidence from Rolls-Royce
and we heard about the £200 million it has already received from
the UK Government to help with development and that there is
still work to be done. I know Ministers will be acutely aware of
the cost and that there are other potential British providers of
SMR technology. I confess that I am not expert enough on the
precise details of SMRs to debate them this afternoon, but our
report, alongside work undertaken by other parliamentary
Committees, supports a potential role for SMRs in the future...
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP):...Another aspect of nuclear that we have heard about today
is small modular reactors. As I said in an intervention, that is
a future technology, although people keep talking about it as if
it were already here. There is no approved regulated design for a
small modular reactor yet, and if Rolls-Royce sticks
to the assessment that has been made, it is not due to be
completed until September next year. How can the Government
launch a competition to pick a small modular reactor when there
is not even a design that complies with UK regulations? That
makes no sense.
The talk of small modular reactors makes them sound like small
compact units. The capacity of Rolls-Royce’s
small modular reactor will be 475 MW, which is nearly 50% higher
than the international definition. Moreover, it will be the size
of two football pitches, which is not exactly small in my book.
As for the cost, it is estimated to be between £1.5 billion and
£2 billion per reactor. The kicker is that Rolls-Royce
wants its own contract to supply between 12 and 15 small modular
reactors. What it is actually asking for is an order worth
between £20 billion and £30 billion in up-front capital costs.
Again, that is money that could be much better elsewhere, and
there are existing technologies that could be deployed much more
quickly...
For context, OPEN HERE
Extract from Lords
consideration of the Electricity Capacity (Amendment) Regulations
2023
(Con):...I also notice that,
for some reason, His Majesty’s Government have postponed bringing
on small-scale nuclear. A number of us have kept a close watch on
Rolls-Royce
in particular, which I understand has been ready to get moving on
small-scale nuclear, which would be part of a capacity situation.
I am deeply concerned—and I am looking for a confident answer
from my noble friend—that if we hit a really cold winter this
year, we have the capacity for something to come on stream. There
would be nothing worse for the United Kingdom as a whole if we
found that we needed black- outs and fuel cuts...
For context, OPEN HERE
