UK-based construction company Balfour Beatty has been appointed by Rolls-Royce as the exclusive contractor for its fissile construction framework. 

Under the contract, Balfour Beatty will provide the nuclear licensed infrastructure necessary for the production of fissile components that support the Royal Navy’s submarine propulsion systems and the new AUKUS submarines. 

The scope of work includes the development of new specialised manufacturing and processing facilities within the licensed nuclear site boundary, along with the upgrade and refurbishment of existing nuclear plant infrastructure essential for the production of fissile materials. 

Balfour Beatty Group CEO Philip Hoare said: “In my first week as Balfour Beatty’s group chief executive, I’m proud to announce this latest appointment - a strong endorsement of our growing presence and capability in the UK defence market - one of our four key strategic growth markets. 
 
“Our ongoing partnership with Rolls-Royce underscores the depth of our end-to-end capabilities and reinforces our commitment to delivering infrastructure of national importance to the UK.” 

This announcement follows Balfour Beatty’s earlier appointment as Rolls-Royce's nonfissile construction partner in May 2024, which involved the expansion of its Raynesway site in Derby, encompassing the construction of new office facilities and associated site infrastructure. 

In July this year, Balfour Beatty, along with Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke, signed an agreement with Sizewell C for delivering the main civil works at a new power station located in Suffolk, England.

With the signing of the programme alliance agreement, the companies together formed the Sizewell Civil Works Alliance.