More than three years after Balfour Beatty signed a memorandum of understanding with Holtec Britain and Hyundai Engineering & Construction (HDEC) to advance deployment of Holtec’s SMR-160 small modular reactors in the UK, the project has progressed from an early collaboration to an active contender in the UK’s emerging SMR market.

While the original 2022 agreement envisaged the first UK unit beginning construction as early as 2028 following regulatory approval, the program has since evolved around Holtec’s updated SMR-300 reactor design.

In 2024, Holtec Britain secured £30 million from the UK Government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to support the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process and remains one of the companies shortlisted by Great British Nuclear (GBN) in the UK’s SMR technology selection program.

Balfour Beatty has also reaffirmed that small modular reactors remain a strategic growth market, with the company restructuring its UK Energy & Major Projects business in 2026 to strengthen its capability in emerging SMR opportunities.

Although the UK government selected Rolls-Royce SMR for its first state-backed deployment earlier in 2026, Holtec continues to pursue privately and publicly backed opportunities, positioning the Balfour Beatty-Holtec partnership as a potential delivery vehicle for future reactor projects should the technology complete licensing and secure project awards. This is also as other private-led developments such as SGE’s plan to build 4.2GW of nuclear SMR across three sites in the UK continue to take shape.

Balfour Beatty to develop small modular nuclear reactors in the UK

Reported December 26, 2022 – Balfour Beatty has partnered with American and South Korean businesses in order to develop small modular nuclear reactors in the UK. The company has signed an agreement with US energy equipment supplier Holtec and Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction (HDEC). Thus, they will promote the building of Holtec’s SMR-160 pressurised light-water reactors in the region.

Balfour Beatty is the primary UK construction partner. They will work with HDEC on the civil construction, installation of the mechanical, electrical, heating, ventilation, and cooling systems. This is as well as the equipment needed for the SMR-160 reactors from Holtec International. Holtec International intends to begin the SMR-160 reactors’ UK regulatory acceptance process in 2023. If approved, the first unit in the UK could begin construction by 2028.

Read Also: London Borough approves plan for Ham Close regenaration project

Construction of small modular nuclear reactors in the UK

“We look forward to working with Holtec International to advance clean energy solutions,” said Stephen Tarr, chief executive for major projects in the transportation, energy, and power sectors at Balfour Beatty. Our collaboration will expand on our extensive knowledge and skills in executing nuclear projects. In the end, we’ll support the UK’s move toward a net-zero future.

Richard Springman, senior vice president of Holtec International, stated: “As it navigates this energy crisis, the United Kingdom is at a turning point. Future generations in the UK will live and work differently as a result of the choices made today. Additionally, it will increase the overall viability of its economy. I believe that in order to ensure the security of carbon-free energy in ten years, we will need multiple, complementary nuclear power plant designs based on tested pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology that is already in operation in the United Kingdom; and we must start now.”