U.S. and Britain to sign flurry of major nuclear power deals during Trump’s state visit

preCharge News POLITICS — The United States and United Kingdom are expected to sign a flurry of major new deals during Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain this week, seeking to kickstart a “golden age” of nuclear power.

Some of the multi-billion-pound agreements set to be inked include plans by U.S. and U.K. companies to build up to 12 advanced new modular reactors in Hartlepool, a port town in northeast England, and a push to develop data centers powered by small modular reactors (Small Modular Reactor) in Nottinghamshire.

The cross-Atlantic partnership is hoped to generate thousands of jobs, speed up the process of building new nuclear power stations and unlock billions in private investment.

Transatlantic Push to Boost Jobs and Innovation

Keir Starmer on Monday said the two countries were “building a golden age of nuclear” that would put them “at the forefront of global innovation and investment.”

The deal announcement reaffirms both the U.S. and U.K.’s embrace of nuclear power, particularly when it comes to fueling the energy-intensive data centers needed to train and run massive Artificial Intelligence tools.

X-Energy, a U.S.-based company aiming to develop high-tech nuclear plants, and Centrica, owner of British Gas, said the Hartlepool plans would generate enough power for up to 1.5 million homes and create up to 2,500 jobs.

The companies also estimate the overall program could deliver at least £40 billion ($54.25 billion) in economic value.

New Projects in Hartlepool and Nottinghamshire

The Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations, operated by Electricite de France SA (EDF), in Sizewell, UK, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Holtec, meanwhile, said plans to build advanced data centers powered by SMRs in Nottinghamshire would be worth around £11 billion. The project is set to be jointly developed by Holtec, EDF and Tritax.

SMRs promise to have smaller and lighter footprints than traditional power plants, potentially making them cheaper and quicker to build when they are fully commercialized.

Amazon and Google both signed deals last year to develop SMRs in the U.S., as tech giants increasingly turn to nuclear power to fulfill the growing energy demands of data centers.

‘A True Nuclear Renaissance’

Some of the other deals expected to be signed as part of the agreement, known as the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, include plans to establish the world’s first micro modular nuclear power plant.

“With President Trump’s leadership, the United States is ushering in a true nuclear renaissance – harnessing the power of commercial nuclear to meet rising energy demand and fuel the AI revolution,” Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy, said on Monday.

Debate Over Nuclear’s Future

As it is low-carbon, advocates argue that nuclear power has the potential to play a significant role in helping countries generate electricity while slashing emissions and reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.

Some environmental groups, however, warn that the nuclear industry is an expensive and harmful distraction from cheaper and cleaner alternatives.