US startup Last Energy has laid out plans to build a £300 million mini nuclear power plant in Wales by 2027.
Based on the site of the former coal-fired Llynfi Power Station in Bridgend County, Last Energy said it had initiated the planning process for a plant capable of powering 244,000 homes annually.
No public funding would be required for the four 20 megawatt micro modular nuclear reactors at the site, which Last Energy added would be assembled “like a LEGO kit”.
“Last Energy’s Llynfi project will not only transform a vacant coal site into a hub for clean energy production,” Last Energy UK chief executive Michael Jenner said.
“It will also create economic opportunity for companies throughout South Wales.”
Small modular reactors have long been promised as a cheaper and quicker-to-build alternative to conventional plants, with Last Energy joining the likes of Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.) in planning such projects for the UK.
None have yet been approved for construction in the UK, leaving rivals largely planning their first mini-nuclear plants for the 2030s.
Last Energy noted its plans were contingent on licensing and planning processes, while surveys had begun at the site in Wales.
“The benefits of nuclear power speak for themselves, so our focus must be on delivering those benefits on time and on budget,” Jenner added.
“Last Energy’s emphasis on mass-manufacturability allows us to deliver significantly smaller plants in under 24 months with purely private financing.”