News: Holtec selects South Yorkshire for Small Modular Reactor factory
South Yorkshire is set to become the new home of US nuclear energy company, Holtec’s planned new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) factory - a £1.5bn investment that is set to create hundreds of well-paid and highly-skilled jobs.
Earlier this week, the US’ largest nuclear components exporter signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for ‘Cooperation on Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Technology’ with The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) on a visit which took in facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.
The MoU shows Holtec's desire to service the UK domestic market with R&D, jobs and a fully integrated supply chain. Holtec’s SMR factory targets 70% of materials, components, and services are procured within the UK, and particularly South Yorkshire, meaning significant supply chain opportunities.
After a process that involved 13 locations which were shortlisted down to four around the UK, Holtec Britain – who have been working at Sizewell B for over 15 years and in the UK for nearly 30 years – chose South Yorkshire as the location for its new SMR factory to serve the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Holtec’s decision comes after Rolls-Royce SMR also chose South Yorkshire to become the home of its new multi-million pound facility earlier this year. Rolls-Royce SMR will manufacture and test prototype modules for SMRs in South Yorkshire further strengthening the region’s clean tech cluster.
Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, said: “In South Yorkshire, we’re building on hundreds of years of innovation and engineering heritage to create world leading facilities, skills and expertise today; assets that will power the clean energy transition in the UK and beyond. We are right at the cutting edge of the new nuclear, hydrogen and sustainable aviation sectors, and proud to be home to the largest clean tech sector in the UK.
"That’s why Holtec have chosen South Yorkshire as the home of their £1.5bn manufacturing facility, because they recognise we are the new home of the emerging clean energy sector in this country. Their decision to invest in South Yorkshire has the potential to support hundreds of high-paying jobs, while their SMR Learning Academy will help train the next generation of nuclear engineers and experts.
"I promised to deliver a clean energy transformation and this decision is just more evidence of the huge and increasingly rapid progress we’re making.”
Gareth Thomas, Director at Holtec Britain, added: “South Yorkshire overcame stiff competition from other areas of the UK to be our preferred location for our advanced SMR factory.
“Holtec Britain was impressed by the resounding interest in our new SMR factory across the UK and the strong support received by the local authorities during our engagements. However, after a rigorous process, South Yorkshire was finally selected as our preferred location.
"In addition to the technical, supply chain, training, and logistics criteria for the formal evaluation, we were also impressed by the history and pride of the people we met during our visit to South Yorkshire, which demonstrated the workforce really cares about the quality and reputation of their work. For Holtec, that translates to a workforce that can be trained and will remain committed to delivering the high-quality nuclear products that Holtec, and our customers, demand.
"Holtec has been part of the nuclear ecosystem in this country for many years and is absolutely committed to creating high-quality local jobs, supply chain opportunities and partnerships that will help South Yorkshire and the UK grow and prosper. Our new UK factory is central to that commitment. Holtec is working to finalise its factory business plan to support its Final Investment Decision, based on its UK and international order book.
“Holtec’s SMR-300 is a PWR reactor enabling the factory to also produce large naval reactor components to not only support the country’s energy security, but also its national security."
A location within South Yorkshire has yet to be announced. Holtec's website states that it will be a 20 Ha factory that would produce 2-4 reactors per year, valued at £1-2 billion each. Construction will generate around 3,600 jobs, and manufacturing will sustain up to 400 jobs annually.
Holtec Britain website
AMRC wesite
Images: Holtec / AMRC
Earlier this week, the US’ largest nuclear components exporter signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for ‘Cooperation on Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Technology’ with The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) on a visit which took in facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.
The MoU shows Holtec's desire to service the UK domestic market with R&D, jobs and a fully integrated supply chain. Holtec’s SMR factory targets 70% of materials, components, and services are procured within the UK, and particularly South Yorkshire, meaning significant supply chain opportunities.
After a process that involved 13 locations which were shortlisted down to four around the UK, Holtec Britain – who have been working at Sizewell B for over 15 years and in the UK for nearly 30 years – chose South Yorkshire as the location for its new SMR factory to serve the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Holtec’s decision comes after Rolls-Royce SMR also chose South Yorkshire to become the home of its new multi-million pound facility earlier this year. Rolls-Royce SMR will manufacture and test prototype modules for SMRs in South Yorkshire further strengthening the region’s clean tech cluster.
Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, said: “In South Yorkshire, we’re building on hundreds of years of innovation and engineering heritage to create world leading facilities, skills and expertise today; assets that will power the clean energy transition in the UK and beyond. We are right at the cutting edge of the new nuclear, hydrogen and sustainable aviation sectors, and proud to be home to the largest clean tech sector in the UK.
"That’s why Holtec have chosen South Yorkshire as the home of their £1.5bn manufacturing facility, because they recognise we are the new home of the emerging clean energy sector in this country. Their decision to invest in South Yorkshire has the potential to support hundreds of high-paying jobs, while their SMR Learning Academy will help train the next generation of nuclear engineers and experts.
"I promised to deliver a clean energy transformation and this decision is just more evidence of the huge and increasingly rapid progress we’re making.”
“Holtec Britain was impressed by the resounding interest in our new SMR factory across the UK and the strong support received by the local authorities during our engagements. However, after a rigorous process, South Yorkshire was finally selected as our preferred location.
"In addition to the technical, supply chain, training, and logistics criteria for the formal evaluation, we were also impressed by the history and pride of the people we met during our visit to South Yorkshire, which demonstrated the workforce really cares about the quality and reputation of their work. For Holtec, that translates to a workforce that can be trained and will remain committed to delivering the high-quality nuclear products that Holtec, and our customers, demand.
"Holtec has been part of the nuclear ecosystem in this country for many years and is absolutely committed to creating high-quality local jobs, supply chain opportunities and partnerships that will help South Yorkshire and the UK grow and prosper. Our new UK factory is central to that commitment. Holtec is working to finalise its factory business plan to support its Final Investment Decision, based on its UK and international order book.
“Holtec’s SMR-300 is a PWR reactor enabling the factory to also produce large naval reactor components to not only support the country’s energy security, but also its national security."
A location within South Yorkshire has yet to be announced. Holtec's website states that it will be a 20 Ha factory that would produce 2-4 reactors per year, valued at £1-2 billion each. Construction will generate around 3,600 jobs, and manufacturing will sustain up to 400 jobs annually.
Holtec Britain website
AMRC wesite
Images: Holtec / AMRC
16 comments:
The BBC article on this news could not bring themselves to mention it was in Rotherham. Only negitive new on Rotherham fits their narrative.
No-one knows where it is yet... do you?
Is your IQ level that low?
It's going to be in the vacant eateries on Forge Island.
It has not been announced where the location is. As per the article "A location within South Yorkshire has yet to be announced" so I'm not sure the comment around the BBC and Rotherham has any validity.
It goes without saying...
Only silence goes without saying.
I believe Simon and Garfunkel said something similar.
Validity and relevance are alien concepts to some of our posters.
Hello Darkness, my old friend.
Hers to you Mrs Robinson
Cheeses loves you more than you will know.
Gibb it a rest!
OK, you win again.
You started a joke?
Yes, but they're only words
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