UK and US officials announced on Monday that Britain and the United States will ink technology and nuclear project agreements exceeding $10 billion during President Donald Trump’s state visit.
A senior US official stated that Trump will be joined by a “significant” group of US tech CEOs during his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his country residence on Thursday.
According to US media, the leaders of chip powerhouse Nvidia and Open AI, the creator of ChatGPT, would be included.
“This visit will emphasize a new collaboration in science and technology that will involve billions in fresh investment,” the US official informed reporters, including AFP.
“We’re considering over ten billion, potentially tens of billions, that will occur.” We are certain that there is indeed more than 10, but there is quite a bit.
The UK government stated that the two nations will also formalize a deal to accelerate the advancement of new nuclear energy initiatives.
The collaboration ensures quicker regulatory approvals and multiple new private investments in nuclear initiatives, as the UK aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and energy security goals.
Nuclear’s Golden Era.
According to the agreement, Britain and the United States will rely on each other’s safety evaluations for new reactor designs, a change anticipated to reduce the duration for securing a nuclear project license from three or four years to two years.
Starmer remarked that the collaboration positioned the UK “towards a prosperous era of nuclear.”
US officials stated that the two nations will also reveal “progress in defense technology collaboration” and links between their leading financial centers.
Trump lands in Britain late Tuesday for a significant second state visit.
On Wednesday, King Charles III receives him at Windsor Castle, followed by Starmer hosting him at his Chequers residence on Thursday.
A US official stated there would be “considerable participation from various CEOs of American technology firms” anticipated to join a business roundtable at Chequers.
The technology investments occur despite conflicts between the Trump administration and the UK regarding London’s digital tax.
Trump has warned of fresh tariffs on companies perceived as attacking US tech businesses.
The nuclear agreement arrives as Britain prioritizes reinforcing nuclear energy following the onset of the Ukraine conflict, stating it is essential for energy security amid a fleet of outdated power plants.
Britain announced that the agreement aims to “remove all remaining reliance on Russian nuclear resources by the conclusion of 2028 — further excluding (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin from the energy sector.”
Multiple business agreements were revealed on Monday, including a partnership between US company X-energy and Centrica, the owner of British Gas, to construct as many as 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool, located in northeast England.
US company Holtec, France’s EDF, and UK’s Tritax are planning to create data centres fueled by small modular reactors, designed to lower the expenses and challenges associated with constructing nuclear power plants.
The collaboration also entails increased joint efforts on experimental initiatives for nuclear fusion, a technology designed to deliver emissions-free power without producing nuclear waste.
