Selected bidders to enter negotiations with Great British Nuclear

Great British Nuclear has announced that four firms have been selected for the last round of the UK鈥檚 mini-nuclear reactor competition.

GE-Hitachi, Holtec, Rolls Royce and Westinghouse have all been picked to move to the next stage of the procurement process, where bidders will be invited to enter negotiations with the non-departmental public body.

Unlike conventional reactors, SMRs are smaller and made in factories, which the government hopes could enable quicker and cheaper delivery.

Rolls-Royce small modular reactor

How Rolls Royce鈥檚 mini reactor looks

Developing the technology was a major element of the previous government鈥檚 ambition for a quarter of all UK electricity to come from nuclear power by 2050.

The new Labour government鈥檚 plans for nuclear power have yet to be set out in detail, but energy secretary Ed Miliband told MPs in July that he would give his 鈥渁bsolute support鈥� to plans for a fleet of SMRs.