Heysham 3
Heysham 3
19th February 2024
Great British Nuclear seeks EDF land for small modular reactor. Government in talks to buy site in Heysham, Lancashire, as it rolls out the new technology. The government is holding talks with EDF to take control of land at a site in Lancashire as part of plans to roll out mini-nuclear power stations in Britain. Great British Nuclear is in early discussions with the French state-owned energy group over buying land adjacent to its existing nuclear plants at Heysham, with a view to potentially giving the green light for a private developer to build a small modular reactor there. The 255-acre site is one of eight in Britain approved for new nuclear development and is the location of EDF’s Heysham 1 and Heysham 2 nuclear power stations. Almost 109 acres has a nuclear site licence, while the rest is being used for other purposes. Britain’s first small nuclear plants are due to be awarded government contracts this summer after six designs, including one from Rolls-Royce, were selected to compete for up to £20 billion in taxpayer funding. The government does not expect to make a final investment decision on the first small modular reactor until 2029. Great British Nuclear is searching initially for two sites, each to house a single mini-reactor, with a plan to build between four and six in total, as part of the first phase of the rollout in Britain.