US and UK launch 'golden era' of nuclear energy
The US and the UK will cooperate in nuclear energy development (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The UK and the US will sign an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy development, aiming to attract investment for new power plants, according to the UK government’s website and Reuters.
In recent months, the British government has been actively pushing nuclear energy expansion, pledging £14 billion ($19 billion) for the new Sizewell C nuclear power station and advancing Rolls-Royce’s plans to build the country’s first small modular reactor (SMR).
Trump will arrive in the UK on Tuesday, September 16, for a two-day visit, during which he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce the nuclear energy partnership.
It is expected to accelerate new projects and investments, including planned cooperation between US-based X-Energy and Britain’s Centrica (CNA.L) to build up to 12 advanced modular reactors in northeast England.
The statement also noted that an £11 billion ($15 billion) project is being prepared for announcement, aimed at developing advanced data centers powered by SMRs in central England at the site of the former Cottam coal-fired power plant. The project involves US firm Holtec International, France’s EDF, and developer Tritax.
“These major commitments set us well on course to a golden age of nuclear that will drive down household bills in the long run, while delivering thousands of good jobs in the short term, create thousands of good jobs,” Starmer said.
The agency recalled that Trump and Starmer had already discussed closer SMR cooperation during their meeting at the US president’s golf resort in Scotland in July.
“Today’s commercial deals set up a framework to unleash commercial access in both the U.S. and UK,” said US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
The new partnership will also extend to nuclear regulation: if a reactor passes a safety review in one country, the other will be able to use those findings for its own checks. This is expected to cut licensing timelines to two years instead of the current three to four.
Commenting on the X-Energy deal, Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea said it would help build a resilient, affordable, and low-carbon energy system.
Meanwhile, X-Energy CEO J. Clay Sell said Hartlepool was the right place to scale this technology in the UK, given its skilled workforce and local services.
Holtec chairman and CEO Kris Singh said their plan with France’s EDF would create thousands of local jobs, drawing on lessons from the Palisades project in Michigan. EDF U.K. CEO Simone Rossi added that the project would boost energy security.
At the same time, Rolls-Royce announced it has begun the regulatory process in the US for its small modular reactor, paving the way for new jobs and investment.
Among other expected announcements is a deal under which Britain’s Urenco will supply the US market with an advanced type of low-enriched uranium.
During Trump’s three-day state visit, the US and UK also plan to sign a revolutionary technology agreement involving multibillion-dollar investments in British data centers.
Earlier, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed confidence in continuing the AUKUS defense pact with the US and Australia.
