Rolls-Royce SMR and Studsvik Strengthen Cooperation on 470 MWe Reactor Deployment

Rolls-Royce SMR and Studsvik have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Stockholm to assess the Swedish provider's capabilities and facilities with a view to supporting the future deployment of Rolls-Royce SMR's 470 MWe nuclear reactor. The agreement covers several technical areas: fuel qualification and testing, plant life management, hot cell technology, core design and operational modelling, and regulatory licensing support. The partnership aims to build out Rolls-Royce SMR's European supply chain ahead of large-scale deployment.

Executives Point to Global Nuclear Investment Momentum

Rolls-Royce SMR CEO Chris Cholerton said the agreement "strengthens our European supply chain, bringing together world-class expertise to support the rollout of Rolls-Royce SMR technology." Studsvik President and CEO Karl Thedéen noted that government and customer investment decisions worldwide are creating "long-term opportunities" across the Nordics, the UK, and Europe. Earlier this month, Studsvik announced the acquisition of Kärnfull Next, a Swedish SMR project development company, extending its activities from services to existing nuclear fleets to developing new projects. The European Court of Auditors recently criticized the EU's lack of an international nuclear strategy, highlighting the coordination challenges surrounding these deployments across the continent.

On the commercial front, Czech nuclear operator ČEZ has selected Rolls-Royce SMR to build up to 3 GW of new capacity. In Sweden, the government received an application in December for the installation of either five GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors or three Rolls-Royce SMRs providing about 1,500 MW of capacity at Ringhals on the Värö Peninsula. The application was filed by Videberg Kraft AB, a project company owned by Vattenfall AB and backed by several industrial firms via the Industrikraft i Sverige AB consortium.

A Pressurized Water Reactor Built 90% in Factory Conditions

The Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurized water reactor (PWR). According to the company, 90% of the reactor—measuring approximately 16 metres by 4 metres—will be assembled in factory conditions, limiting on-site activity to the installation of prefabricated and pre-tested modules. This approach is intended to significantly reduce project risk and shorten construction schedules. Each unit is designed to deliver consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years.

In the United Kingdom, Rolls-Royce SMR was designated last June as the government's preferred technology for the country's first SMR project, with a final investment decision expected in 2029. In November, the British government confirmed that the Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey in North Wales—where a Magnox plant is being decommissioned—will host three Rolls-Royce SMRs, with the potential to accommodate up to eight. Other SMR developers, such as Newcleo, are simultaneously pursuing international regulatory approvals for their own reactor designs.