Rolls-Royce SMR has announced two significant developments in its modularisation strategy.
Modularisation is central to the Rolls-Royce SMR design and will transform the way nuclear projects are delivered, combining proven nuclear technology with a ‘factory-built’ approach to ensure deliverability.
For too long, nuclear commitments have been one-off projects and not long-term fleet programmes. With contracts now in place for the UK and Czechia – and if successful, Sweden – Rolls-Royce SMR is delivering a fleet programme and assembling the strongest team to deliver.
Rolls-Royce SMR has, therefore, selected Aker Solutions as its primary Module Partner. Partnering with Aker Solutions – a world leading energy supply chain company – brings proven expertise from the oil and gas sector into nuclear for the first time, enabling the application of industrialised, modular delivery methods that have consistently been used to execute complex energy projects more efficiently.
Additionally, with contract certainty now established and to enable successful delivery of the programme, Rolls-Royce SMR officially starts its UK factory site search, to create the manufacturing facilities that will enable a fleet programme to be delivered at scale.
This site search builds on activity already undertaken with a number of potential site hosts across the country. Rolls-Royce SMR is seeking a site of around 20 acres and will take a decision on the preferred location later this year.
The combination of Aker Solutions’ knowledge and experience of modularisation and the development of a UK factory will enable a successful fleet programme to be launched.
Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR CEO, said: “As the only SMR company in Europe with multiple projects under contract, we are now focused on successful fleet deployment. To enable this, we will establish a UK factory facility and bring together a world-leading supply chain to enable our modular, repeatable power plant solution.”
“The announcement of our UK factory site search and our agreement with Aker Solutions will support our aim to transform the way nuclear projects are delivered.”
The collaboration with Aker Solutions will generate project management and engineering design work at Aker Solutions’ UK locations, enabled by their UK network of suppliers.
Kjetel Digre, CEO of Aker Solutions, said: “Our proven capabilities in onshore facility development and modular construction position us well to contribute meaningfully to the SMR value chain. This MoU represents a key opportunity to transfer decades of delivery in complex energy programmes into a potential new market for Aker Solutions, leveraging our extensive experience within executing large and complex energy projects.”
With around 80% of each Rolls-Royce SMR made up of conventional ‘non-nuclear’ scope, Rolls-Royce SMR has created a significant opportunity for oil and gas supply chain companies, with decades of experience and a highly skilled workforce, to secure opportunities in this global SMR fleet programme.
Source: https://www.rolls-royce-smr.com/press/rolls-royce-smr-launches-modularisation-delivery-strategy
