X-Energy UK Holdings, Ltd, a subsidiary of X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, and Cavendish Nuclear, part of Babcock International, have received a substantial funding boost from the UK Government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF).
The £3.34 million grant, which will be matched by X-energy, earmarks a total of £6.68 million for the development of Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) in the UK.
This financial injection will fuel the creation of UK-specific deployment plans, focusing on domestic manufacturing, supply chain opportunities, and fuel management strategies. In a collaborative effort, X-energy and Cavendish Nuclear have joined forces with Kier Group, Sheffield Forgemasters, and the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) to fulfill the objectives set out in their FNEF proposal. Aiming for 80% of the Xe-100 project’s value to benefit UK firms, this initiative is expected to bolster the local economy and industry.
The FNEF aims to support mature nuclear projects poised for a Final Investment Decision (FID) in the upcoming parliamentary term, reducing project risks and paving the way for future investments. X-energy and Cavendish Nuclear’s ambitious proposal includes a 12-reactor plant at Hartlepool, projected to be operational by the early 2030s. The plan extends to constructing up to 40 Xe-100 reactors, potentially generating 3,200 MW of electricity—enough to power 6 million homes—or 8,000 MW of high-temperature heat for zero-carbon industrial processes.
The partnership is also set to engage with UK nuclear regulators to explore licensing for the Xe-100 AMR, a design currently undergoing assessments by Canadian and US nuclear authorities. This project promises to create thousands of jobs and marks a significant step towards a sustainable energy future for the UK.
“We are backing innovation in nuclear – from building large-scale plants better to encouraging new advanced technologies – to achieve our ambition for a quarter of our electricity to come from nuclear power by 2050,” Minister for Nuclear & Renewables Andrew Bowie said. “This funding supports the next step in the development of advanced modular reactors and shows our commitment to keeping the UK at the forefront of nuclear technology.”
“We are delighted to receive this FNEF award from the Government. It reflects the readiness of our advanced technology to contribute to the UK’s energy needs in the next wave of new nuclear,” said Carol Tansley, X-energy’s UK market leader and Vice President of Projects. “Building on X-energy’s initial deployment with Dow on the U.S. Gulf Coast, we can create both jobs and long-term energy security in the UK with clean, reliable advanced nuclear power.”
“As X-energy’s UK deployment partner we’re pleased to welcome this award as a key step forward. A fleet of Xe-100s can complement renewables by providing constant or flexible power and produce steam to decarbonise industry and manufacture hydrogen and synthetic transport fuels,” said Mick Gornall, Managing Director of Cavendish Nuclear. “Deployment in the UK will create thousands of high-quality, long-term jobs across the country.”