A US energy giant has chosen South Yorkshire to host a landmark £1.5bn factory building the next generation of nuclear reactors in a major boost for the region.

South Yorkshire has been chosen as the home of a new factory to make parts for small nuclear reactors in a £1.5bn investment.

South Yorkshire has been chosen as the home for an American company's factory making nuclear reactors. Holtec, the world's largest exporter of capital nuclear components, said it planned to build small modular reactors (SMRs) at the factory to serve the UK, European and Middle East markets.

USA-based Holtec International has selected South Yorkshire in England as the preferred site for its proposed UK small modular reactor factory. It has also signed memorandums of understanding with two British research centres to support SMR manufacturing and testing.

South Yorkshire is to become the new home of US nuclear energy company Holtec’s planned new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) factory.

A council said it is disappointed after a city missed out on an opportunity to host a factory for small modular nuclear reactors. Kingmoor Park in Carlisle was one of four areas shortlisted for US firm's Holtec factory along with Tees Valley,