UK Chooses Wylfa For First SMRs And Announces Start Of Site Selection For New Large-Scale Nuclear Plants
The UK has chosen the island of Anglesey off the Welsh coast to host Britain’s first small modular reactors, designed by Rolls-Royce SMR, in a significant step forward for the industry.
In a statement the government said North Wales will become a beacon in the “golden age” of nuclear, delivering the UK’s first three SMRs at the Wylfa nuclear site in the north of the island, choosing it ahead of a rival site at Oldbury in Gloucestershire, southwest England.
The government also announced that Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE-N), the body overseeing new nuclear in the UK, has been tasked with identifying suitable sites that could potentially host new large-scale reactors.
GBE-N will report back by autumn 2026 on potential sites. The energy secretary, Ed Milliband, has requested this includes sites across the UK including Scotland, where the devolved Scottish National Party government is opposed to nuclear.
Nuclear Energy Seeing ‘Revival In Fortunes’ That Could See Reactor Capacity Grow By 70%
Nuclear energy is experiencing a revival in fortunes with investment rising in both traditional large-scale plants and new designs, including small modular reactors (SMRs), and capacity set to increase by at least one-third to 2035 – and potentially by as much as 70%, according to a new report.
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2025 says more than 40 countries now include nuclear energy in their strategies and are taking steps to develop new projects.
The report says that after more than two decades of stagnation, installed nuclear capacity could expand by as such as 70% by 2035 in its Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario, which maps out a pathway to achieve specific energy and climate-related goals. Under less ambitious scenarios nuclear capacity is forecast to increase by one third.
Bulgaria’s Regulator Approves Site Selection For Eighth Nuclear Plant At Kozloduy
The Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) has authorised Kozloduy NPP-New Build, the state-owned company in charge of new-build, to begin site selection activities for a planned new eighth nuclear power unit at the Kozloduy nuclear power station in northern Bulgaria.
The company said in a statement it had received the permit on 27 October 2025 after a detailed regulatory review. Kozloduy NPP-New Build submitted an application in February 2025.
The statement said the permit marks the formal start of the siting and licensing process for Unit 8, the second of two new reactor units proposed for the Kozloduy site expansion project.
Power Utility And City Of Helsinki Begin Site Assessment For Small Modular Reactor
Power utility Helen and the City of Helsinki are launching a project to assess three potential sites for a small modular reactor (MR) in Finland.
Helen said the three sites – all in or around Helsinki – are the Vuosaari and Salmisaari power plant areas and the Norrberget area. Vuosaari and Salmisaari are already being used for energy production operations and are managed by Helen.
Helen announced a nuclear energy programme last year with the aim of building an SMR plant that will strengthen the security of supply in Helsinki and Finland as a whole.
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Regains Access To Backup Electricity From Grid
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station has regained its access to backup electricity from the grid for the first time in six months, after today’s completion of repairs to a second power line under the protection of a localised ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The repairs mean that for the first time since May 2025, Zaporizhzhia once again has “redundancy” in its external power supply.
However, the IAEA warned that the external electricity situation at the plant remains extremely fragile. During more than three and a half years of conflict, the site has lost all access to external electricity 10 times. Before the conflict, it was connected to the grid through 10 power lines.