The Environment Agency, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)
and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) announced today (1 August) that
they are progressing to the next phase of their assessment of
Holtec International's Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design.
The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process is a way to allow
regulators to begin assessing the safety, security, safeguarding
and environmental aspects of new reactor designs before
site-specific proposals are brought forward.
This ensures that nuclear projects meet high standards of safety,
environmental protection and waste management, while providing
the company with the certainty needed to progress their designs.
Step 1 of the GDA began in October 2023 and focused on agreeing
the scope and schedule for Step 2, which has now been
successfully completed. Today marks the start of Step 2, which is
expected to last for 14 months.
Agreeing the scope of the GDA throughout Step 1 has been based on
information supplied by Holtec to the regulators so they can
undertake a meaningful assessment of the design. Holtec has
completed all requirements for Step 1 from the regulators'
guidance, with good progress made to support GDA.
Saffron Price-Finnerty, the Environment Agency's New
Reactors Programme Manager, said:
We're assessing the environmental acceptability of a new Small
Modular Reactor design from US-based Holtec International,
working with Holtec Britain who are managing the delivery of the
GDA in the UK. Holtec Britain has worked hard to grow the company
sufficiently to be able to manage and deliver the project
effectively.
During the next step, our team of specialist assessors will
identify any issues or concerns we have with the design and will
work with the company to make sure it understands our
expectations to ensure the protection of communities and the
environment.
This is a two-step GDA which won't include a scheduled public
consultation, so it's even more important for people to get
involved in the comments process, which begins today. You can
review the information on the company's website and provide your
comments, which are viewed by the regulators.
Tim Parkes, ONR's Head of Safety Regulation for Advanced
Nuclear Technologies and the Holtec SMR-300 GDA, said:
GDA is a vital part of ensuring new reactor designs meet the high
standards of safety, security and environmental protection
required in Great Britain.
Together with the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales,
we have seen Holtec demonstrate readiness to move into Step 2 of
the assessment where we can begin the technical assessments of
the reactor.
Throughout Step 1, Holtec has been mobilising its delivery
organisation to complete the GDA and we have been agreeing the
scope for our assessment in Step 2.
We have improved our understanding of the generic SMR-300 design
which will enable us to conduct a meaningful assessment
throughout Step 2.
Safety and security will always be our overriding priority, but
we are committed to regulating in a way that does not impede
technological advancements unless it is fully justified that we
do so.
We will continue to engage with the US Nuclear Regulatory
Commission about potential collaboration and information exchange
on the review and assessment of the SMR-300 design.
Natural Resources Wales is also involved in the GDA process where
there is a possibility the reactor design could be deployed in
Wales and will lead on engagement with stakeholders in
Wales.
Paul Gibson, the Radioactivity & Industry Policy Team
Leader from Natural Resources Wales, said:
We have been working closely with the Environment Agency and
Office for Nuclear Regulation on the Generic Design Assessment
for the Holtec International SMR-300.
As we have now reached the end of Step 1, we will continue
working closely with our partners as the project progresses to
fundamental assessment of the design in Step 2.
Holtec has now launched a comments process, enabling
anyone to submit comments and questions about the reactor design
to the company for its response. Relevant issues raised during
the comments process, and Holtec's responses to these issues,
will be used to help inform the regulators' assessments
throughout the rest of the GDA process.
The GDA process focuses on the design of a generic nuclear power
station and is not site-specific. It is a voluntary,
non-mandatory process aimed at providing early confidence that a
proposed reactor design is capable of being constructed, operated
and decommissioned in accordance with the high standards of
safety, security, environmental protection and waste management
in Great Britain.
For more information, please read ONR's end of Step 1 statement
and the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
joint end of Step 1 statement.
You can also visit the Holtec
SMR-300 website.
