As global energy demands continue to skyrocket, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are emerging as a viable solution. Mrudula Jadhav sits down with Alan Pardoe from Rolls-Royce SMR, to understand the importance and global benefits of SMRs for the manufacturing industry; and the instrumental role the AMRC has to play.

Article featured in the latest issue of the AMRC Journal.

“We cannot keep burning fossil fuels for power generation. With the demand for clean and affordable energy at an all-time high, there’s a massive opportunity for clean energy solutions in the UK and globally. And this is what Rolls-Royce SMR is here for. We’re creating a blueprint for a clean energy solution,” says Alan Pardoe, who heads up manufacturing capability acquisition at Rolls-Royce SMR. 

With an impressive 27 years at Rolls-Royce behind him, Alan began his career as a design engineer on the Trent 500 programme. Over the years, he has tackled diverse challenges across engineering, procurement and manufacturing; from Trent 900 and XWB engines to mechanical rigs and fuel cell systems. This background now serves him well as he manages the manufacturing capability delivery for Rolls-Royce SMR.

Now, two years into the role, Alan is responsible for ensuring Rolls-Royce SMR develops the necessary manufacturing capabilities to seamlessly operate future factories which will supply the parts to build these revolutionary nuclear power stations. This means having a clear plan for everything from opening the factory to building the first nuclear power station, including processes, standards and compliance.

Alan is clear on Rolls-Royce SMR’s bold vision: delivering clean, affordable energy for all. But how? 

While the goal is clear, Alan believes achieving it requires a radical new approach to what and how it is being done. This is where Rolls-Royce SMR's approach becomes truly innovative. 

"What we’re doing radically different is factory-producing 95 per cent of a nuclear power station," Alan reveals. “We know that nuclear energy is carbon free at the point of generation, but affordability is still a challenge when compared with large nuclear power plants. Our SMR solution tackles this by factory-building and modularising everything – a game-changer to make our vision a reality.”

Modularisation is Rolls-Royce SMR’s unique selling point and a cornerstone of its strategy. 

“Our SMRs will be built with factory-made modules, ensuring predictability, tight control over schedules and shipping, and guaranteed delivery times,” says Alan. 

“We're setting the standard for modular SMR design. It's a differentiator that sets us apart and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) plays a key role in this journey, with their work being instrumental in establishing this revolutionary approach.”                                                      

“This isn't just another project; it's a paradigm shift,” Alan emphasises. “Different from traditional, civil nuclear projects, we’re designing SMRs for fleet production – potentially hundreds deployed globally. This focus on deliverability requires a product-oriented approach from the outset, and not a one-off project mentality.

“Traditionally, Rolls-Royce projects have been built upon existing factories and product designs, but SMR is starting with a blank canvas. 

“Although we can leverage our extensive experience in nuclear reactors from submarines, everything else is new. We’ve got no baseline. So, we’ve got this unique opportunity – both exciting and daunting – to establish the very foundation of the business from scratch.”

This is where Experimental Module Assembly (Experi) comes in – it's the crucial first step on the path to making vision a reality.

In 2017, the Rolls-Royce SMR team envisioned a dedicated assembly facility for its small modular reactors. With extensive work needed for module stacking, movement and heavy engineering, the initial target launch for this facility was 2025. This meant finding and retrofitting a building with specific capabilities.

However, a desire to accelerate progress led Alan to the doorstep of the AMRC with just one question: "What can we do now?" This sparked the first phase of the Experi programme.                

"Phase one,” Alan explains, “focuses on utilising the AMRC's existing facilities and maximising what we could achieve with it.

“Now, Experi phase two is still under development, going through requirements capture and trying to understand what we really need to do next. We have a vision, but there’s much to define and a lot of work to do. However, we are certainly on a route to maturity.” 

Alan paints the bigger picture. 

"Imagine a factory on the horizon, where we’ll build the first nuclear power station,” he says. “We need to know how to operate things when we open its doors. So be it Experi phase one, phase two, pre-production, a centre of excellence – whatever the path, it's all part of the journey to that operational readiness.”

Alan strongly believes that the urgency for SMR adoption cannot be ignored any longer. 

“There are two things in play here,” he explains. “The first is that there’s a critical need to find a solution to the surging global energy needs. And secondly, because SMRs can be ready in a short term, they are a timely solution. 

“Unlike traditional large-scale nuclear builds which can take upwards of 15 years to go on grid, SMRs offer a much faster turnaround. We’re aiming to get them operational in the early to mid 2030s.”

According to Alan, this swift deployment is crucial because in the next decade the UK's existing base load nuclear capability will almost disappear – with all but one of the UK’s existing nuclear plants reaching the end of their operational lives. While projects like Hinkley Point C are on the horizon, Alan says it’s a long-term project that cannot bridge the demand gap alone.

He adds: “Without a fleet of SMRs, achieving net zero emissions is an incredibly difficult task. Although essential, renewables like wind and solar lack the consistent base load power that nuclear offers to be enough to meet the growing energy demands. SMRs can provide a reliable, low-carbon, foundation to make that happen.”

Alan says that although SMRs are still expensive, they’re affordable compared with large ‘gigawatt-scale’ nuclear plants, allowing companies to invest in clean energy directly. An SMR installed next to an industrial facility can reliably power the activities with clean energy.

So, what does that mean for the UK and the rest of the world?

“The initial deployment of the technology”, Alan says, “will likely be in the UK. This will create massive growth opportunities for the nation and the economy.

“The real impact lies in the supply chain, where SMRs will create thousands of high-skilled, long-term jobs for generations to come. We're talking high-calibre positions that will require significant training and expertise. And this won’t be a temporary boom – the demand for these skills is here to stay.”

When building SMRs in a specific country, sourcing components from that region reduces logistical challenges. So, while maximising UK capabilities for production is a priority, Alan notes that the global supply chain is equally important in this journey. 

He says: “Every SMR, every power station relies on millions of components. Manufacturing all these components requires significant capacity. With maturity of the project, production will also scale up from one SMR per year to two to four and so on. Imagine needing 40 million components instead of 10 million annually. Our existing capacity is bound to struggle.

“This is where the global solution comes in. We need to utilise manufacturing capabilities worldwide, while also mitigating risks of relying on single-sourcing of parts. This global deployment strategy creates a massive opportunity for the entire global supply chain.”

Earlier this year, it was announced that a new testing facility for SMR prototype modules is being established within the AMRC’s Factory 2050 facility in Sheffield. The Module Development Facility will produce working prototypes of the individual modules that will be assembled into Rolls-Royce SMR power plants. 

“Our collaboration with the AMRC on SMRs goes back to 2017, even before I joined the Rolls-Royce SMR team,” says Alan. “We knew we needed a digital backbone for our future factory, and the AMRC's expertise in both digital and assembly solutions made it the perfect fit.

“There's a long history of successful collaboration between Rolls-Royce and the AMRC, so it wasn't by accident that we ended up there. 

“It's the perfect environment to experiment and develop methodologies. The AMRC's proven track record with Rolls-Royce in aerospace, combined with its unique skill set, made it our obvious choice.”

The AMRC’s work with Rolls-Royce SMR started with Module Demo One, after which the teams moved to something different – exploring digital instructions and data acquisition. This was followed by a cell demo which was building the first cubic module. According to Alan, each project was a stepping stone towards Experi. 

He says: “From the first module project and now Experi, the AMRC has been a key partner in this process, helping us develop solutions that will become the foundation of our factory. Our partnership with AMRC is built on trust, and there's a shared vision for the future. 

“The entire AMRC team understands the bigger picture – how its work contributes not just to individual projects but to the creation of a factory and beyond. This focus on technology transfer to UK industry is what the AMRC does best.”

It has been seven years since Rolls-Royce SMR sowed the seeds for a clean, affordable energy solution, and the journey has only begun. So, what keeps Alan and his team going?

“Developing these processes right now can feel like hard work,” says Alan. “But we're laying the groundwork for the next 150 years. 

“This isn't just about the here and now; it's about shaping the future for all those who come after us.”