UK, US should work together on small modular reactors, Starmer says

The British prime minister meets Trump at his golf resort in Scotland

A digital visualisation shows the small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) planned by Rolls-Royce in this handout image obtained by Reuters on Jun 10, 2025. Rolls-Royce/Handout via REUTERS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the country would benefit from working more closely with the United States on small modular reactors (SMRs) as he met US President Donald Trump at his golf resort in Scotland on Monday.

"The more we can work together on this the better," Starmer said.

Last month, Britain selected Rolls-Royce RR.Lto build the country's first SMRs, pledging 2.5 billion pounds ($3.35 billion) to kickstart the industry,

Trump said the United States would look into the opportunity for smaller nuclear plants.

"We're doing smaller and bigger, but the small is interesting," he told reporters in Turnberry.

"They (Rolls-Royce) do a small plant, very easy, very safe, and as they need more they hook up another plant, and they have a series of plants instead of doing the $20 billion plant."

Trump said SMRs could involve much lower investment, adding that they would study the option.