Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) has obtained an Electricity Generation Licence from the UK Office of Gas & Electricity Markets (Ofgem), a key step in its mission to deliver small modular reactors (SMRs). The licence authorises GBE-N to generate electricity in the UK. It is one of the first in a chain of approvals needed to construct and operate power infrastructure in the UK.
GBE-N, formerly known as Great British Nuclear (GBN), is an executive arm’s-length body of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). It was officially launched in July 2023 to drive the rapid expansion of nuclear power in the UK. It acts as the government’s expert delivery body for new nuclear projects to meet the target of 24 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2050, increasing the share of nuclear in the UK’s electricity mix from the current 15% to 25%.
Its immediate priority was managing a selection process for small modular reactors (SMRs), selecting Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder in June 2025. A final investment decision is expected to be taken in 2029.
In March 2024, GBE-N purchased the Wylfa (Anglesey) and Oldbury (South Gloucestershire) sites for £160m ($2123.5m) to host future SMR fleets. by 2050. In November 2025, the government announced that Wylfa will host three Rolls-Royce SMRs with the potential to host up to eight SMRs targeting operation in the mid-2030s.
The Rolls-Royce SMR design is a three-loop pressurised water reactor with an output of 470 MWe derived from 1,358 MWt. The Rolls-Royce SMR concept is centred on modularisation of reliable and proven technology, allowing maximum use of the factory environment to combine standard components with advanced manufacturing techniques. The factory-built modularisation approach is expected to drastically reduce the amount of on-site construction while its compact footprint and modular design means it can be located alongside energy intensive industrial processes.
GBE-N has also been tasked with identifying suitable sites that could potentially host further large-scale reactor projects beyond the current deployments at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. GBE-N will report on potential sites by Autumn 2026.
Commenting on the electricity generation licence, GBE-N Chairman Simon Bowen, said: “This milestone reflects the dedication and expertise of our team, whose efforts in technical planning and rigorous compliance have enabled us to meet Ofgem’s high standards. Our newly secured licence empowers us to contribute significantly to the country’s energy security, bolstering grid resilience, and decarbonising our economy. This is another proof-point that we are delivering new nuclear at pace and with focus.”
