The Oldbury and Wylfa nuclear sites will probably be the first selected for the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the UK under a government run competition to deploy a first SMR unit by the early 2030s, according to a source involved in the competition.

Four companies have been shortlisted as potential technology suppliers by Great British Nuclear, the public body set up to drive the delivery of new nuclear energy projects in the UK.

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Holtec International, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse were selected in September 2024 to enter contract negotiations in the SMR competition. France’s EDF and US-based NuScale Power were eliminated from the competition earlier in the process.