Rolls-Royce and Yokogawa collaborate on small nuclear reactors

Rolls-Royce SMR and Yokogawa Electric Corp. announced Feb. 2 they’ll jointly develop data processing and control systems (DPCS) for Rolls Royce's small modular reactor (SMR) program. Yokogawa will help develop and deliver the main control system for the first SMR units. Its scope includes design engineering, validation and qualification, product hardware, building and testing the system, installation and commissioning.

“This agreement to provide the power station's ‘central nervous system' marks another milestone as we accelerate towards delivering the first in a global fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs,” says Ruth Todd, operations and supply chain director at Rolls-Royce SMR. “Furthermore, securing a world-class supplier is critical, and we're proud that a substantial portion of this work will be carried out in the U.K. and Czech Republic, creating jobs, developing skills, and driving growth in the regions where our first plants will be built.”

The project will be developed and supported by Yokogawa's U.K. office and design facility in Runcorn, Cheshire, and in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. To support the project, Yokogawa is adding personnel to its nuclear supply chain in the U.K.

Rolls-Royce SMR was selected as preferred bidder by Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE‑N) to build the U.K.'s first SMRs, and by European utility ČEZ to build up to three gigawatts of new nuclear power in the Czech Republic. It’s also one of only two companies to reach the final stage in Vattenfall's process to identify Sweden's nuclear technology partner.

“Yokogawa is proud to join forces with Rolls-Royce SMR on this pioneering initiative to co-innovate solutions that will shape the next generation of nuclear energy,” adds Koji Nakaoka, EVP and executive officer of Yokogawa’s Energy & Sustainability business. “As a proven, low-carbon source of baseload energy, nuclear power plays a vital role in achieving global decarbonization goals. Backed by decades of expertise and a strong culture of partnership, we’ll deliver reliable, high-performance control systems to enable the safe, efficient, and sustainable deployment of nuclear power worldwide.”

Rolls-Royce SMR is reported to be the U.K.'s first domestic nuclear technology in more than 20 years. GBE-N recently announced that Wylfa on Ynys Mon, Anglesey, was selected as the site for the U.K.'s first SMR, which can produce up to 1.5GW of low-carbon energy, or enough stable, affordable, emission-free electricity to power 1 million homes for at least 60 years. Likewise, Rolls-Royce SMR announced in October 2024 that it’s partnering with ČEZ to deploy up to 3 GW of electricity in the Czech Republic using Rolls-Royce SMRs.