Britain and the United States will sign an agreement to accelerate nuclear power projects during President Donald Trump’s state visit, the UK government announced on Monday.

The partnership will provide faster regulatory approvals and private sector investment deals as Britain works toward its net zero and energy security goals. Trump is scheduled to arrive in Britain late Tuesday for his second state visit, after his 2019 visit hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Under the agreement, both countries will rely on each other’s safety assessments for new reactor designs, reducing the licensing time for nuclear projects to two years instead of three to four years.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the partnership sets the UK “on course to a golden age of nuclear.” Britain has increased focus on nuclear energy since the war in Ukraine, addressing both energy security and its ageing reactor fleet.

The UK said that the partnership will “eliminate any last dependencies on Russian nuclear material by the end of 2028 — further squeezing (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin out of the energy market.”

Starmer in a post in X stated that the deal in nuclear power projects “is groundbreaking and is paving the way for the future that we want… renewable energy jobs, lower energy costs, independence, 12 new modular reactors in Hartlepool…”

Several commercial deals were also revealed Monday, including one between US firm X-energy and British Gas owner Centrica to build up to 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool, northeast England.

US company Holtec, French utility EDF and British firm Tritax plan to develop data centres powered by small modular reactors. SMRs are designed to lower costs and simplify nuclear station construction.

The agreement also expands cooperation on nuclear fusion research, a technology aiming to deliver emissions-free electricity without nuclear waste.

In June, Britain pledged billions of pounds to boost its nuclear sector, including funding for the Sizewell C power plant.

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