Rolls-Royce SMR has signed a key contract with global construction giant Skanska to build a full-scale prototype of a critical seismic isolation pedestal for its Small Modular Reactor (SMR). The demonstrator, to be fabricated at Skanska’s facility in Doncaster, England, is a foundational component designed to decouple the entire nuclear power plant from earthquake forces, enabling a standardized, globally deployable reactor design.
In the push to decarbonize global energy grids, small modular reactors promise factory-built, scalable nuclear power. A central challenge, however, is making a single design viable across diverse geological landscapes—from stable bedrock to active seismic zones. Rolls-Royce SMR’s innovative solution lies beneath the reactor itself: the aseismic bearing pedestal. This structural isolation system acts as a sophisticated shock absorber, sitting between the ground and the reactor building to drastically reduce the transfer of seismic motion. By proving this technology, the partnership aims to “de-risk” the company’s plan for a fleet of identical reactors built anywhere in the world.
“Working with Skanska is a significant step forward in proving the capability of our aseismic bearing technology and demonstrating our modular approach to construction,” said Ruth Todd CBE, Rolls-Royce SMR Operations and Supply Chain Director. She emphasized that collaborating with an experienced delivery partner creates opportunities for more British and Czech suppliers to join the supply chain, aligning with the project’s international ambitions. Rolls-Royce SMR is not only a preferred bidder in the UK’s Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) competition but has also been selected by Czech utility ČEZ to build up to three gigawatts of new nuclear capacity.
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The contract taps directly into Skanska’s deep expertise in complex civil engineering and pre-cast fabrication. The Swedish-based company, one of the world’s largest construction firms, will leverage its Bentley Works facility to construct the prototype pedestal and conduct rigorous technical trials. “We’ll be bringing our civil engineering, design and fabrications expertise to build and test a first-of-its-kind pre-cast bearing pedestal – a critical component for Rolls-Royce SMR,” stated Adam McDonald, Executive Vice President at Skanska UK. This hands-on prototyping phase is crucial for validating manufacturing processes, material performance, and final assembly before full-scale production begins.
The timing of this development is pivotal. The UK government recently announced Wylfa on Anglesey as the site for the nation’s first SMRs, a project that could deliver up to 1.5 gigawatts of power and support 8,000 long-term jobs. A proven, seismically resilient base design is a non-negotiable safety and regulatory requirement for such sites and for export markets. By isolating the reactor from ground movement, the technology enhances safety margins and can also simplify the civil engineering required at each site, contributing to the cost and schedule predictability that is central to the SMR value proposition.
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This demonstrator project is more than a component test; it’s a concrete step toward industrializing nuclear construction. By treating the complex seismic foundation as a standardized, factory-built module, Rolls-Royce SMR and Skanska are moving the needle from one-off mega-project engineering toward a repeatable, supply-chain-driven model. Success here paves the way for a new breed of nuclear plant—one whose safety and design integrity are literally grounded in a pedestal that allows it to stand firm, no matter what lies beneath.
