Britain's Department of Energy and Climate Change said Thursday that it had opened up a funding competition for $360 million for developers of small nuclear reactors (SMRs).
“We are .. asking interested parties to submit an Expression of Interest,” the department said in announcing the first phase of the competition, which is being launched “to gauge market interest among technology developers, utilities, potential investors and funders in developing, commercializing and financing SMRs in the UK,” the department said.
The announcement alluded to the government's “timeframes for deployment,” calling the competition the first opportunity to engage in discussions with government, which would allow for a structured dialogue between Government and participants.
The department also released a set of guidelines to determine eligibility of "credible organizations" to enter the competition.
“DECC intends to develop an SMR Roadmap, which will summarize the evidence so far, set out the policy framework and assess the potential for one or more pathways for SMR to help the UK achieve its energy objectives, while delivering economic benefits,” the department said.
The DECC also said more guidance on the program would be forthcoming in May.
The deadline for participation in the first phase of the competition is May 6. This will set up the “structured dialogue” phase, which will begin by the end of May.