US-based start-up Last Energy plans to develop privately financed micro modular nuclear power plants at the closed site of the Llynfi coal-fired power station in Bridgend County, South Wales, to serve local industrial customers. Last Energy’s PWR-20 comprises a few dozen modules that are assembled like a Lego kit, requiring minimal land.
As a full-service developer, Last Energy owns and operates its plug-and-play power plant on the customer’s site, bypassing the need for electric transmission grid upgrades. The company relies on existing supply chains and uses traditional pressurised water reactor technology.
Last Energy’s Prosiect Egni Glan Llynfi (Llynfi Energy Project) project will deliver power to mid-size manufacturers throughout the region, providing 24/7 baseload power and putting the local economy on a path toward industrial decarbonisation. Last Energy aims to deliver the first plant by 2027, contingent on the licensing and planning processes.
The company says it has obtained site control, has begun conducting site surveys, and has initiated the planning process in order to build its plants on the vacant site that housed the Llynfi Power Station from 1951 to 1977. Taken together, the plants’ annual output will be equivalent to the annual amount of energy consumed by approximately 244,000 UK homes, alleviating grid restraints, and contributing to the Welsh Government’s 2030 net zero targets as well as national climate goals.
Last Energy will not require public funding for the development and estimates an overall capital investment of £300m ($392m) in equipment, services, and other development-related activities. The company plans to source at least 10% of its needs from South Wales suppliers, equivalent to a £30m local economic investment (not including business rates collected by Bridgend County) and at least 100 local full-time jobs.
Following briefings with Bridgend County Borough Council and the Welsh Government, Last Energy will now begin public engagement for the project. The company has launched a website where the public can learn more about its plans and will begin hosting a series of local community events later this year.
Last Energy will also begin identifying potential local suppliers for project and will host events for prospective suppliers in November to discuss its procurement process. In addition to manufacturers for plant fabrication, the company will also seek companies to help with on-site plant installation, maintenance, and security.
Michael Jenner, CEO of Last Energy UK (a subsidiary of Last Energy) noted: “The benefits of nuclear power speak for themselves, so our focus must be on delivering those benefits on time and on budget. Last Energy’s emphasis on mass-manufacturability allows us to deliver significantly smaller plants in under 24 months with purely private financing. We look forward to engaging with the public, meeting local suppliers, and being an active partner in South Wales’ path towards energy security and industrial decarbonisation.”
Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Lord Philip Hunt, said new nuclear projects can revitalise communities by repurposing old industrial sites and injecting new jobs and investment. “This is at the cutting-edge of nuclear technology and could help decarbonise industry by providing low-carbon heat and power,” he noted. “It comes a day after the UK’s investment summit and signals that we are reversing a legacy of no new nuclear power being delivered, ensuring the long-term security of the sector while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs.”
Tom Greatrex, CEO of the Nuclear Industry Association said “industries are increasingly looking to nuclear to provide reliable and price predictable heat and power as they seek to decarbonise. “Potential projects such as that proposed by Last Energy, with an innovative business model of direct to industry power and co-location, will be required if deep decarbonisation is to become a reality rather than a slogan.”
According to Great British Nuclear new nuclear is a vital part of Britain’s energy future. “As well as large-scale power stations like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, and the Small Modular Reactors Great British Nuclear is in the process of selecting, these kinds of even smaller reactors can supply heat and power to industries of the future. They are set to drive development and innovation, and significantly reduce industrial carbon emissions, which will be of huge benefit to the UK’s economy and will play a significant part in our clean air future.”
Last Energy, founded in 2019, says it has commercial agreements for over 65 units across Europe. In March 2023 it secured purchase agreements (PPAs) for 34 PWR-20 units with four industrial partners in the UK and Poland. Last Energy said the deals, worth $18.9bn in power sales, mark “the largest pipeline of new nuclear power plants under development in the world”.
Last Energy revealed its completed PWR-20 design in 2022. The PWR-20 is a 20 MWe (60 MWt) single-loop pressurised water reactor (PWR) that has a 300C continuous output based on accepted PWR technology. The design uses standard full-length PWR fuel enriched to 4.95% and closed-cycle air cooling. Power plant modules would be built off-site and assembled in modules. By using ready-made modular components, Last Energy says a reactor could be assembled within 24 months of the final investment decision. The assumed lifetime of the power plant is 42 years.
In June, Last Energy signed an agreement with the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (ENSEC COE) to jointly research military applications for micro-nuclear power technologies and to explore opportunities for future deployment on NATO military installations. Under the partnership, both parties agreed to work on joint projects around nuclear energy applications for NATO military installations and operations.
