Rolls‑Royce SMR and Yokogawa to deliver data processing and control systems

Rolls‑Royce SMR Ltd and Yokogawa Electric Corporation announced a strategic relationship to deliver data processing and control systems (DPCS) for the Rolls‑Royce SMR programme, targeting the main control system for the first units in a planned global fleet. The companies made the joint announcement with a Manchester, United Kingdom and Tokyo, Japan - February 2, 2026 header, positioning Yokogawa as the automation partner for what Rolls‑Royce SMR describes as Europe’s leading small modular reactor programme.

Yokogawa’s remit covers design engineering, validation and qualification, product hardware, system build and testing, installation and commissioning, and ongoing delivery and support. The project will be delivered and supported from Yokogawa’s UK office and design facility in Runcorn, Cheshire, with additional work carried out in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. That footprint reflects Rolls‑Royce SMR’s broader commercial reach, which includes preferred-bidder status with Great British Energy - Nuclear for three UK units and selection by ČEZ for up to three gigawatts in the Czech Republic.

Koji Nakaoka, Executive Vice President & Executive Officer, Energy & Sustainability Business headquarters at Yokogawa Electric Corporation, framed the tie-up in decarbonisation terms: “Yokogawa is proud to join forces with Rolls‑Royce SMR on this pioneering initiative to co-innovate solutions that will shape the next generation of nuclear energy. As a proven, low-carbon source of baseload energy, nuclear power plays a vital role in achieving global decarbonisation goals. Backed by decades of expertise and a strong culture of partnership, we will deliver reliable, high-performance control systems to enable the safe, efficient, and sustainable deployment of nuclear power worldwide.”

Nucnet coverage captured a Rolls‑Royce SMR line that underlines the control system’s importance. “Ruth Todd, operations and supply chain director at Rolls‑Royce SMR, said the agreement to provide the power station’s ‘central nervous system’ marks another significant milestone as the company accelerate towards delivering the first in a global fleet of Rolls‑Royce SMRs.”

Yokogawa has committed to make “considerable investments” to support the project, a pledge reported without monetary detail. Both companies and analysts say the work is intended to help secure jobs and strengthen the UK nuclear supply chain, though the joint statement did not provide figures, timelines, or specific job counts.

For operators, regulators, and supply‑chain firms, the announcement puts a high‑profile automation vendor at the heart of Rolls‑Royce SMR’s control architecture and signals a move toward serialised delivery of SMR control platforms. Missing from the releases are contract value, delivery schedule, and technical specifics such as product platform names or cybersecurity measures. Expect follow-up milestones on validation, qualification and commissioning as Rolls‑Royce SMR advances its commercial selections and pushes toward first‑unit deployment.