Mace Group and Arup have been appointed to support the early engineering and delivery planning for the UK’s first small modular reactor project at Wylfa in North Wales.
The appointments were made by Great British Energy – Nuclear as part of the initial development phase for the Anglesey scheme, which is intended to become the first deployment of small modular reactor technology in the UK.
Under the arrangement, Arup will lead early-stage foundation engineering work for the project, while Mace will contribute programme management expertise as the project team begins shaping the delivery strategy for the proposed development.
They will work alongside Gleeds, LDA Design and TÜV SÜD Nuclear Technologies to produce the site’s first integrated design framework.
The group will support feasibility studies and prepare a site-specific concept design as the government moves forward with its programme to deploy a fleet of small modular reactors across the UK.
This early engineering phase is intended to refine the overall site layout and provide the technical foundation required for subsequent development stages. The work will be undertaken alongside the preferred technology partner, Rolls-Royce SMR, which is developing the reactor technology expected to be used at the site.
The Wylfa project represents a significant milestone in the government’s plans to expand the UK’s nuclear power capacity through smaller, factory-built reactors that can be deployed more quickly than traditional nuclear plants.
Located on the northern coast of Anglesey, the Wylfa site has long been considered one of the UK’s most suitable locations for nuclear development due to its existing grid connections, infrastructure and history of nuclear generation.
Construction of the project is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs at peak activity. The development could also act as the first in a broader programme of SMR projects planned across the UK as part of the country’s strategy to strengthen energy security while increasing low-carbon electricity generation.
Jeremy Stain said the scheme represented an important step forward in the deployment of next-generation nuclear power technology.
Simon Roddy said the early design phase would rely on “strong collaboration, innovation and precise technical decision making” across the project team.
