Teesside private SMR nuclear power station to be built

The nuclear power plant is planned to be commercial operational by the early 2030s

An agreement has been reached to build a privately financed nuclear power station in Teesside.

Community Nuclear Power (CNP) has announced plans to install four small modular reactors (SMRs) in North Tees.

CNP said it aims to be up and running in ten years' time and will supply "roughly a gigawatt of energy".

With other similar power stations planned, hundreds of jobs are expected to be created in the north-east of England.

A CNP spokesperson said the four North Tees reactors will generate clean, always-on energy which will be used to help develop a green energy and chemical hub, also within the North Tees Group Estate, on the north bank of the River Tees near Stockton.

Analysis

Ian Reeve, Look North business correspondent

The news that a site on Teesside has been picked as an area to host a new way of producing nuclear power is a step forward for a technology that has long been on the drawing board.

Small reactors, built in a factory by the American power giant Westinghouse, will be transported to Seal Sands near Billingham, coming on stream in the early 2030s and going some way to providing part of the big rise in nuclear capacity the UK government wants to see by 2050.

These small modular reactors can replace the UK's fleet of ageing atomic plants. Their design allows them to be an alternative to coal and gas plants while also supporting hydrogen production and district heating schemes from warm water used in the process.

The reactors can also provide jobs, especially in the north-east of England and Cumbria.

The business behind the privately-funded Teesside scheme, Cockermouth-based Community Nuclear Power, also has similar plans at Moorside in Cumbria.

It's promising community benefits that include jobs, heating and an equity stake in the project.

Also in Cumbria, Workington's TSP Engineering has long been working on plans to build SMRs in its factory.

An estimated 750 jobs could be created with the first reactor off the line in 2027.

Meanwhile, Rolls Royce also wants to build three factories to manufacture heavy pressure vessels as part of the reactor power station.

It's thought that sites in Sunderland, Carlisle and North Yorkshire are on the shortlist.

Each factory would create 200 direct jobs, contributing, its champions say, to a source of clean and dependable energy.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: "We welcome Community Nuclear Power's endeavours to support SMRs, which are vital to meet our ambition to reach up to 24GW nuclear power by 2050.

"Our nuclear revival will help to deliver cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy for families and businesses across the UK, and we recently launched a consultation to encourage further private investment in advanced nuclear projects."

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Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: "Not only will this project provide good-quality local jobs, but the energy it generates will support thousands more across Teesside by powering new investors coming to our region."

Chris McDonald, the Labour parliamentary candidate in the host constituency Stockton North, said: "The jobs that will be created will provide work for local businesses and opportunities for generations to come.

"Any project like this can only go ahead with the consent of the local community, and so I welcome CNP's already demonstrated commitment to work hand-in-glove with local residents, to give a stake in the business to the local community and to locate the headquarters of their company in Billingham."