Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Czech Republic has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom on nuclear energy cooperation, Azernews reports.

This agreement followed a meeting between the Prime Ministers of the two countries, Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic and Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, in London.

"A memorandum has been signed to confirm both countries' intention to strengthen our partnership in the nuclear energy sector, where we see significant potential in the coming years," Fiala told reporters after his talks with Starmer. "Working with the UK will help us ensure energy security and provide affordable energy for future generations," he added.

Both the British and Czech governments view nuclear energy as a crucial element in the transition to low-carbon energy and in securing energy independence. Besides building traditional nuclear power units, the UK government also supports the development of small modular reactors (SMRs).

A key development in Czech-British cooperation was the recent entry of the Czech energy giant CEZ Group into Rolls-Royce SMR, a company specializing in the development of small modular reactors — compact reactors that can be assembled from pre-built modules.

In collaboration with Rolls-Royce SMR, CEZ plans to construct modular reactors with a total capacity of 3 gigawatts in the Czech Republic by 2050.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are gaining traction worldwide as a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional nuclear plants. These reactors are designed to be factory-built and then transported to their final location, reducing construction time and costs. If successful, they could play a significant role in meeting global clean energy targets.