- On the one-year anniversary of the Centrica X-energy partnership being signed, the UK Government has directed regulators to accept the X-energy Xe-100 Advanced Modular reactor into the Generic Design Assessment, marking a significant step toward UK commercial licensing.
- Under their partnership, the companies intend to deploy up to 6 GW of new nuclear capacity in the UK (10-20 Xe-100 power stations depending on size of each installation)
Centrica and X-Energy, Inc., a leading developer of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel technology, have announced that X-energy's Xe-100 Generation IV advanced Small Modular Reactor ('SMR') has been accepted into the United Kingdom's Generic Design Assessment ('GDA') process.
GDA acceptance formally triggers the process of assessing the design's acceptability for deployment and operation ahead of the technical and environmental evaluations required for site-specific licensing and permitting. The assessment is expected to take approximately three years and will be administered by the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation ('ONR'), the Environment Agency (EA), and Natural Resources Wales.
'This is an important milestone in our plans to bring advanced nuclear power to Britain, and it shows the tremendous progress our partnership with X-energy has made in just 12 months. Without energy security, we don’t have true national security. Nuclear has a critical role to play in this', said Chris O'Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica.
The submission builds on the Xe-100's U.S. licensing progress and is expected to benefit from expanded collaboration between the UK regulators and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ('NRC'), enabling transfer of NRC-reviewed design documentation and safety analyses into UK design reviews.
J. Clay Sell, CEO of X-energy said: 'Across both sides of the Atlantic, X-energy is advancing fleet-scale deployment of our technology, and it begins with a strong regulatory foundation that enables us to drive efficiency from the first project to a full commercial fleet. Together with Centrica, we are advancing the development work required to move from a first project at Hartlepool to a fleet of Xe-100 plants across the country. The UK has the industrial capability, nuclear expertise and policy ambition to lead the deployment of advanced nuclear technology, and we are committed to building the partnerships and supply chain needed to deliver that opportunity.'
Chris O'Shea, Chief Executive of Centrica said: ‘This is an important milestone in our plans to bring advanced nuclear power to Britain, and it shows the tremendous progress our partnership with X-energy has made in just 12 months. Without energy security, we don’t have true national security. Nuclear has a critical role to play in this.
'Deploying advanced nuclear technology at scale, with up to 6GW of new capacity across the UK, will not only strengthen our energy security, but it will create tens of billions of economic value and thousands of highly skilled jobs.
'Starting at Hartlepool, we want to help build a resilient, low-carbon energy system that can power homes and industry for decades to come.'
Michael Shanks MP, Minister of State for Energy said:
'The UK is leading the way in developing the next generation of nuclear power, and this announcement is another important step towards bringing advanced nuclear technologies to the UK.
'New nuclear projects like these will help us deliver clean, secure and homegrown energy, while bringing investment and jobs to Hartlepool and across the UK supply chain.'
Since their initial September 2025 agreement - announced as part of President Donald J. Trump's State Visit to the United Kingdom - the Companies have carried out important early project activities, including formal Early Engagement with the nuclear regulators, the submission and subsequent acceptance of the Xe-100 into GDA process and submission of a proposal for entry into the UK Government's Advanced Nuclear Pipeline, with the results expected imminently.
The Companies have engaged a range of specialist firms to commence site studies and planning and consenting activities and have collaborated with local bodies in Hartlepool to support workforce development and training, including the launch of a new Nuclear and Electrical Trades Academy.
X-energy's long-standing investment in the UK market builds on a deep national heritage in gas-cooled reactor technology, a field in which the UK played a pioneering role over decades of research and deployment.
This operational pedigree, paired with the ONR's and EA’s experience regulating gas-cooled reactors, makes the UK a natural second geographical market for the Company's reactor and tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel technology, which traces its origins to pioneering British nuclear research.
X-energy's Xe-100 advanced small modular reactor and TRISO-X fuel are designed for enhanced safety and reliability in the delivery of clean energy. Each reactor unit is engineered to provide 80 MW of electricity, or 200 MW thermal heat for industrial uses, and is optimised in multi-unit plants ranging from 320 MW to 960 MW. X-energy is advancing its initial Xe-100 plant with Dow Inc. on the Texas Gulf Coast, and is developing a further plant with Energy Northwest in collaboration with Amazon.
Source: Centrica
