Aerospace giant Rolls-Royce to build Britain’s first small modular nuclear reactors

British aerospace group Rolls-Royce on Tuesday received backing from the U.K. government to build the country’s first small modular nuclear reactors.

The announcement follows a two-year selection process and reaffirms Britain’s embrace of nuclear power, particularly as it also pledged on Tuesday to invest £14.2 billion ($19.2 billion) to build the large Sizewell C power station in eastern England.

U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said plans to build the country’s first-ever small modular reactors (SMRs) would create thousands of jobs, support regional economies and strengthen energy security.

“We are ending the no-nuclear status quo as part of our Plan for Change and are entering a golden age of nuclear with the biggest building programme in a generation,” Miliband said.

Britain’s center-left Labour government said the plans could support up to 3,000 jobs and power the equivalent of 3 million homes once the SMRs are connected to the grid in the mid-2030s.