Programmes and agreements / prg-gb-advanced-nuclear-framework

UK Advanced Nuclear Framework and pipeline for private advanced, small and micro modular reactor projects (2026)

The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the Advanced Nuclear Framework on 4 February 2026 to support private advanced, small and micro modular reactor projects, opening a pipeline that developers could apply to join from March 2026. Successful projects receive in-principle government endorsement after assessment by government and GBE-N and are expected to be privately financed. Endorsement is not a planning consent, licence or funding award.

Not a deployment project. SMR plans, agreements, studies and government programmes that are not (yet) a single deployment project. They are listed separately and are never counted as projects or reactors.

Type

Government programme

Countries concerned

United Kingdom

Participants and roles

• Government: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Government: Great British Energy-Nuclear

Designs named

—

Scale as stated

Not stated by the sources

Announced or first reported

4 Feb 2026

Status

Active
Pipeline applications from March 2026, in-principle endorsement only, not a consent, licence or funding award.

Confidence

medium

Last checked

2026-10-14 (record review date, not proof of current activity)

Related deployment projects

• No related deployment project is recorded here.

Sources

• Advanced nuclear framework (government_primary, published 4 Feb 2026, accessed 2026-10-14)
• UK seeking pipeline of advanced nuclear projects (reputable_press, published 4 Feb 2026, accessed 2026-10-14)