Tees Valley makes four-strong factory shortlist
Holtec Britain has whittled down the contenders to host a production site to build a fleet of small modular reactors for use in the nuclear sector across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.
From 13 bidders that had expressed interest, the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Teesworks site is now up against just three other contenders: South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Cumbria LEP and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
South Yorkshire has proposed the Gateway East site at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which public authorities in the region are currently looking to reopen.
WMCA is promoting a site close to Birmingham, while the Cumbrian bid is for a plot at the massive Kingmoor industrial park close to Carlisle.
The winning location will house production for the Holtec Small Modular Reactor SMR-300, with production of two reactors a year expected.
The chosen location will benefit from estimated investment over the years of construction and operation of £1.3bn, Holtec said. The factory site will not in itself deal with any nuclear fuel.
Economic analysis carried out by ChamberlainWalker estimates the project is projected to contribute approximately £1.5bn GVA.
A final decision to select the preferred site will be made in the autumn.
Holtec has been active in the UK for more than a decade, notably with Sizewell B. Its presence in the UK continues to grow, supported by Professor Dame Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, who joined as a senior adviser in February. SMRs are expected to play a major part in the drive to net zero in the years to 2050.
