The Prime Minister has hailed a new “golden age” of nuclear power as British and US firms unveiled five major commercial tie-ups ahead of the US president’s state visit this week.

The flagship deal is a plan to replace the outgoing Hartlepool power station with up to 12 advanced modular reactors, in a scheme promising 2,500 jobs and a £12bn investment for the North East.

The projects form part of a new Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, designed to cut red tape, align safety standards and slash the time it takes to license nuclear reactors from up to four years to just two.

Other deals include a £11bn plan for mini-reactor-powered data centres in Nottinghamshire at the former Cottam coal-fired power station, a micro modular plant at London Gateway port, and assessing possible sites in the UK for gigawatt-scale advanced Natrium sodium-cooled storage reactors.

Sir Keir Starmer said: “This landmark UK-US nuclear partnership is not just about powering our homes, it’s about powering our economy, our communities, and our ambition.

“These major commitments set us well on course to a golden age of nuclear that will drive down household bills in the long run, while delivering thousands of good jobs in the short term.”

The government hopes the high-profile deals will cement nuclear at the heart of Britain’s clean energy push, with Sizewell C, Rolls-Royce’s SMR programme and fusion already under way.

Source: The Construction Enquirer

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