Labour's ambitions for a significant increase in nuclear energy have received a lift with a series of transatlantic agreements for new modular reactors revealed ahead of Donald Trump's visit.

The governments of the UK and US have vowed to expedite safety evaluations and revealed multiple new private sector investment agreements, with Labour highlighting the possible advantages for employment and economic growth.

In the largest and most sophisticated commercial initiative, Centrica, Britain’s top energy provider, will collaborate with the US reactor company X-energy to construct up to 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool, revealing an investment that might generate as many as 2,500 jobs in the north-east of England.

The prime minister, Keir Starmer, stated that the US-UK deal, anticipated to be officially approved during the state visit, was a “historic nuclear collaboration” that would also drive economic expansion.

He stated: “These significant commitments position us for a golden era of nuclear that will reduce home expenses over time, while providing thousands of quality jobs in the immediate future.”

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Through this groundbreaking agreement, the US and Britain will acknowledge each other's safety assessments on reactor designs, significantly reducing the licensing time for a nuclear project to nearly two years.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced that the agreement would facilitate significant growth in nuclear initiatives, within a sector that has reportedly created 11,000 jobs this year, as noted by the Nuclear Industry Association.

 

The X-Energy-Centrica agreement secures a nuclear future for Hartlepool, where the current reactor is set for decommissioning by 2028, and opens the door for a possible additional programme of 20 or more modular reactors nationwide, generating as much power, 6GW, as Britain’s existing total output. The 12 Hartlepool reactors are projected to produce sufficient energy for as many as 1.5 million households.

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Additional projects revealed include intentions by the US nuclear company Holtec, EDF Energy, and property developer Tritax for cutting-edge datacentres fueled by small modular reactors at the old Cottam coal power station in Nottinghamshire, in an £11bn endeavor.

Another American reactor firm, Last Energy, is collaborating with DP World, the owner of the port and P&O Ferries, to create one of the globe’s inaugural micro modular nuclear power facilities. It would provide the London Gateway port and Business Park operated by DP World.

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The government indicated that additional nuclear plants are necessary for sustainable domestic energy to guarantee energy security, following commercial agreements after Starmer's declaration this year regarding the largest nuclear power expansion in decades and the final approval for the new Sizewell C site in Suffolk, supported by billions in state investment.