Future UK Giga-Watt - Early Market Information

Description

The Government's Nuclear Roadmap, published in January 2024, set out the Government's plans to provide up to 24GW of nuclear power by 2050, supporting net zero. Since the publication of the roadmap the Government has made concrete progress on delivering on its commitments. It has; -Acquired two sites for future nuclear development, Wylfa in Angelsey/Ynys Mon and Oldbury on Severn -Launched the next phase of the Small Modular Reactor technology selection process, with bidders having until June to submit tenders. -Announced support to a multi-year programme of work to boost nuclear skills in the UK -Announced £196m of support for a high-tech nuclear fuel facility This Pre-Tender Market Engagement seeks information in line with another Nuclear Roadmap commitment, the exploration of a further large-scale reactor project. In preparation for the potential consideration of a future large-scale nuclear project in the UK to support the delivery of energy security in the UK and to meet the UK's target of net zero by 2050, the Department intends to gather further information to inform policy. The purpose of this pre-tender engagement is to gather information from potential vendors to better: -Understand the best approach for a potential future large-scale nuclear project in the UK; -Understand the capacity of the market to deliver a large reactor project and possible opportunities and risks involved; -Understand the requirements on Government to support any future project; -Provide the market with an opportunity to ask questions and flag any issues needing to be addressed in the future at an early stage; -Inform initial value for money considerations undertaken by the Authority; While the Pre-Tender Market Engagement will explore vendors' ability to develop other sites, it is the Authority's initial preference that should it proceed to develop a large scale nuclear project it should be at Wylfa on Anglesey / Ynys Mon. The Department invites credible Nuclear technology vendors, with capability for large-scale projects, to take part in this engagement. The Department strongly advises that credible vendors engage with this exercise. The Authority will use this engagement to inform policy, and this will not be used to inform the suitability of any future potential supplier. However, we strongly advise anyone who has an interest in being considered as a potential supplier should engage with this exercise. Interested parties should reach out to the Department no later than 30th August 2024 via the listed email address. For further information on Nuclear, the Civil Nuclear Roadmap can be accessed via this link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-nuclear-roadmap-to-2050