Articles
The Office for Nuclear Regulation, the UK’s independent nuclear safety and security regulator, has granted interim design acceptance for two new reactors proposed for the UK.
The ONR’s mission is to protect people and society from the hazards of the nuclear industry. We do this throughout the lifetime of a nuclear power station, from design stage to decommissioning.
Over the last four years, ONR and the Environment Agency have been working together to assess the two proposed reactor designs –
EDF and Areva’s EPR and Westinghouse’s AP1000. The aim has been to ensure that they meet high standards of safety, security and environmental protection.
In December, both regulators reached a significant milestone by confirming that they are satisfied with how the designers of the reactors plan to resolve remaining issues. This decision is part of a wider process – the generic design assessment (GDA) – that is unique to the UK and involves an examination of the safety cases on both designs before construction begins. This allows us to identify issues early, get them resolved by the designers, and inform the public of our regulatory position.
The process has been characterised by a four-step approach, with step four being the detailed design and safety assessment. Last summer ONR and the Environment Agency published a schedule of all issues identified by us as still requiring resolution by industry. That schedule includes the need to address the lessons from the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, and the recommendations in the report on that incident published in October by the chief nuclear inspector, Mike Weightman.
We have received resolution plans from Westinghouse and EDF and Areva, and are satisfied that they demonstrate that designers have credible plans to resolve outstanding issues. That is why we are now able to issue interim design acceptance confirmations and interim statements of design acceptability on both designs.
Industry now knows what it needs to do to secure final approval for its generic design through the GDA process. But the process does not end here. The interim design acceptance is a staging post for the full design acceptance confirmation. Future operators must also acquire environmental permits from the Environment Agency and a nuclear site licence and consents from ONR, before they can start nuclear safety-related construction work.
Last year, ONR received the first site licence application for a new nuclear power station in 20 years. The application from NNB Generation Company, or NNB GenCo, is for a European pressurised water reactor at Hinkley Point, Somerset. Over the coming months, we will assess NNB GenCo’s suitability, capability and competence to install, operate and decommission a nuclear facility at Hinkley Point.
The significance of this work for the future of nuclear power demands a high standard of transparency. The whole GDA process has been open and transparent, with both regulators publishing extensive information including technical reports, guidance and progress updates on a website.
Importantly, we will not allow industry to start building the reactors until all of the issues associated with the interim design acceptance confirmations have been cleared to our satisfaction.
I am confident that both ONR and the Environment Agency assessment teams will ensure that any reactors built will meet high standards of safety, security and environmental protection.