A NEW international deal focusing on Berkeley Science and Technology Park has been announced. 

Regional partnership Western Gateway has today released details for a partnership with Polish industrial group, Industria S.A and Poland's Central Hydrogen Valley.

According to the Western Gateway, the partnership will come with significant opportunities for new skills, jobs, export contracts and investment into the region.

It comes as it was recently announced there will be a £10 million investment in the Berkeley site by Chiltern Vital Group (CVG) working with Rolls Royce SMR and University of Bristol. 

Meanwhile, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced as part of his Spring Budget last Wednesday plans to buy land at Oldbury Power Station.

It is understood the government has finalised a £160 million deal with Hitachi to acquire land at Oldbury and another site in North Wales.

It is hoped local authorities, landowners and businesses will come together to deliver net zero technology and green jobs at the Severn Edge sites in Oldbury and Berkeley. 

Both sites could be used as a location for small modular reactors (SMRs), which should be quicker and cheaper to construct than traditional nuclear power plants.

A single SMR has been estimated to be able to power one million homes for 60 years.

Chris Turner, Chief Executive of CVG, said: “It is a great honour for CVG to be signing this strategically important collaboration agreement with Industria S.A. today in Poland. 

“SMR technology can only be deployed on the scale required through long term public/private and international partnerships. 

“We are very fortunate in having leading public/private sector partners in our major UK projects, which include the Western Gateway and Rolls Royce SMR on the proposed Berkeley/Oldbury ‘Severn Edge’ investment zone project; and in being a significant partner in the Yorkshire Energy Park Freeport.”

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Western Gateway Vice Chair and leader of Gloucestershire County Council said: “It is great to see this international deal focusing on Berkeley.

“This is exactly what the Western Gateway’s Severn Edge sites were designed to enable. 

“Our vision is of a site which can help develop new skills and clean energy jobs for our communities. 

“Severn Edge is ready to be seen as a world leader in new SMR technology and we look forward to working with the UK Government, Rolls Royce SMR and Chiltern Vital Group to deliver a new generation of low carbon energy.”

Cllr Claire Young, leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Western Gateway Board Member said: “This news reflects the scale of opportunity here.

"We have two sites with a comprehensive package to develop world leading skills, innovation and low carbon energy generation.

"It's great that after our work on these sites we are now seeing this recognised nationally by Great British Nuclear's investment last week and internationally by this collaboration today.”

Alan Woods, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Director of Strategy and Business Development, said: “This is an extremely positive step forward for Rolls-Royce SMR and we are delighted to see two 
of our close partners agree to collaborate on their efforts to bring our technology to fruition. 

“This is an exciting development. Both CVG and Industria are highly capable and credible organisations, able to deliver low-carbon energy projects powered by Rolls-Royce SMRs. 

“This announcement further opens the opportunity for CVG to support and enable Great British Nuclear to deliver cutting-edge technology by the early to mid-2030s.”