Small Modular Reactors: competitive technology selection process
How GBN’s technology selection process for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) will work.
GBN will publish a contract notice that sets out an intention to enter into a development contract with those successful bidders. This will have the option of pursuing a project through Final Investment Decision (FID) to construction and subsequently operations, providing a route to market for successful bidders.
In practice, this means offering chosen technologies an unprecedented level of support:
- funding to support technology development site-specific design
- a close partnership with GBN, which will be ready and able to provide developer capability
- support in accessing sites
As a first step in this process, interested parties will be required to respond to a selection questionnaire. Once this stage is complete, GBN will down-select those technologies which have met the criteria, and then enter into detailed discussions with those companies as part of an invitation to negotiate phase. The government will seek to decide as soon as possible which technology or technologies to support. This process is designed to afford government flexibility in the number of projects it chooses to support, and the ability to support successful projects through the construction phase if this proves value for money.
Selection process
There is a process currently underway to identify the best, most appropriate, SMR technologies:
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Market intelligence gathering, which concluded in June 2023.
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Technology initial down selection, launched in July, concluding in Autumn 2023 with the next phase to launch as quickly as possible after that.
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Successful technologies will be supported to be ready to enable a Final Investment Decision (FID) by 2029. This will entail funding to support technology development and site-specific design; a close partnership with GBN, which will be ready and able to provide developer capability; and support in accessing sites.
Next steps
Read the Small Modular Reactor Technology Partner contract notice which was published on the GOV.UK Find a Tender service on 18 July 2023.
You need to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before you can access the Procurement documentation: access the non-disclosure agreement on Jaggaer.
You will need to register for Jaggaer if you have not done so before. Once you have registered, you can view our live listings and search for the Small Modular Reactor NDA within the PQQ section.
You must submit all communications about the procurement and the non-disclosure agreement through the Jaggaer link.
Once you have signed and submitted the NDA for counter signature, the Procurement team will add suppliers to the Selection Questionnaire (SQ).
The SQ documents will be made available on Monday 24 July to those suppliers which have signed and submitted the NDA.
The deadline for SQ responses is 4pm on 23 August 2023.
Contact details
If you have any questions about SMRs or GBN, email enquiries@gbnuclear.gov.uk.
Last updated 19 July 2023 + show all updates
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Added link to the Small Modular Reactor Technology Partner contract notice on GOV.UK Find a tender service.
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First published.