A rendering of the Llynfi Clean Energy Project
The Llynfi site, a 14-acre former coal plant operational from 1951 to 1977, has been vacant since its decommissioning. Last Energy UK Limited, which gained site control in October of the previous year, plans to develop four microreactor power plants at the location. The PDR process, following over a year of engagement and five months of focused review, assessed organizational plans, environmental and decommissioning strategies, and safety analysis for the PWR-20, a 20 MWe or 80 MWt pressurized water reactor designed to be fully passive and safe.
The regulators’ report noted: “The Preliminary Design Review has built initial confidence that Last Energy understands regulatory expectations in those three areas and is planning to address them as the PWR-20 design matures and is subject to site-specific design assessment for deployment at their identified South Wales site.” The review’s completion positions Last Energy to advance to the next phase of regulatory assessment, focusing on design, safety, security, and environmental considerations.
Michael Jenner, Last Energy UK CEO, stated: “As the first micronuclear developer to complete a Preliminary Design Review, we applaud the UK's nuclear regulators for establishing a clear, flexible and direct regulatory pathway for micro-nuclear technologies to engage in nuclear licensing and environmental permitting.” He added: “Unlocking nuclear power at scale is essential to decarbonising the industrial economy and driving economic growth across the UK. Completing our PDR has provided essential guidance to efficiently undertake and complete licensing processes, positioning Last Energy to deliver the UK's first commercial microreactor.”
Last Energy’s PWR-20 is designed for rapid deployment, with off-site fabrication and on-site assembly within 24 months, targeting industrial customers. The company, a spin-off of the Energy Impact Center, owns and operates these modular plants, bypassing lengthy grid upgrade timelines. Last Energy also secured a grid connection offer from National Grid Electricity Distribution for 22 MW of export capacity and a letter of intent from the U.S. Export-Import Bank for $103.7 million in debt financing for the Llynfi project.
