Copyright: Holtec International
As regulators of the nuclear industry, the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) are working together to make sure that any new nuclear power stations built in the UK meet high standards of safety, security, environmental protection and waste management.
The government’s recently published National Policy Statement for nuclear energy generation (EN-7) says that nuclear energy provides an abundant, safe and reliable source of low carbon energy. The Environment Agency’s nuclear regulation is central to this ambition. We want nuclear power to contribute to the government’s strategy in a way that embeds sustainability principles, considers the whole lifecycle of the power station, is designed to be decommissioned, and protects people and the environment.
We’ve just announced the end of Generic Design Assessment (GDA) for Holtec International’s SMR-300 small modular reactor.
Its SMR-300, a 320 megaWatt electrical (MWe) pressurised water reactor, has been issued with a Step 2 statement. What does this mean and what have we said about this reactor design. Our lead nuclear assessor for this reactor Emma Atherton explains.
What’s the difference between a two step and three step generic design assessment?
We created GDA nearly 20 years ago in 2007 after government asked us and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) to look at how to de-risk new nuclear reactor projects. Initially all GDAs followed the full process, including detailed assessment, taking up to five years.
Then, seven years ago in 2019, we introduced an option of stopping or pausing after the initial two steps (Fundamental Assessment) following discussions with government about how to make our process more enabling for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and less-developed designs.
Our Reactor Assessment team has completed this two-step review in just over two years. Step 1 was completed in August 2024 and since then the project team has been examining the fundamentals of the SMR-300 design.
Our focus in Step 2 is on fundamentals related to environmental protection and waste management such as how the design avoids creating radioactive waste. Our colleagues at the ONR focus on the safety and security fundamentals.
Illustration of SMR300 design. Copyright Holtec Britain.What did we learn about the SMR-300 design?
Our headline conclusion statement is that there are “no ‘fundamental’ environmental protection shortfalls in the design of the SMR-300 at this stage of assessment that could prevent the design from being acceptable for future deployment in England or Wales”.
While the design is still evolving, the frameworks and approaches presented by the company give us confidence that environmental protection objectives can be achieved.
Our published reports cover seven assessment topics including ‘discharges of liquid and gaseous radioactive waste’, ‘sampling and monitoring’, ‘solid waste, spent fuel and disposability’ and ‘best available techniques (BAT) and radioactive waste management arrangements’.
We studied the company’s information about the management of solid wastes and spent fuel, noting that further work is required at the pre-application and site-specific permitting stage, to provide a full disposability case.
We are also recommending continued consideration of decommissioning throughout the detailed design work to ensure there is sufficient information for any future permit application.
We found that calculation of discharges and proposed limits for gaseous and liquid discharges presented in GDA is thorough, systematic and appropriate for this stage. And we are satisfied that Holtec understands the requirements associated with sampling.
We also reported that the radiation dose to the public and wildlife is likely to be below the dose limits.
What’s next for the reactor design?
Holtec International didn’t ask for a detailed Step 3 GDA, so a further period of detailed assessment will be required before construction can begin at a site in England and Wales.
The detailed assessment could take place as part of pre-application work for permitting or by restarting GDA. We’d assess the detailed design for how it ensures environmental protection and would also assess design changes that have been made since we began our assessments.
Last November Holtec International and its partners announced a new project to develop a former coal-fired power station site in Nottinghamshire. And, as the company is also taking forward plans to deploy the reactor at its Palisades site in Michigan USA, we’ll be able to work closely with US regulators to improve coordination and efficiency of any future assessment of the design.
In 2024 we visited the company’s HQ in New Jersey. You can read about that visit and the benefits of working closely together in our previous blog.
Discussing production of components and storage casks at Holtec’s advanced manufacturing facility.Get involved and keep up to date with progress
Holtec International, EDF in the UK and Tritax announced plans to work together to construct SMR-300 SMRs at the former Cottam coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire. In the future you’ll be able to read information and share your views through site specific consultations for environmental permits and public engagement work we’ll organise at that time.
You can read about other GDA work on our website .
Follow our dedicated Environment Agency LinkedIn page Regulating Radioactive Substances’ for regular updates on our nuclear and radioactive substances regulation.
Ask a question or join our ebulletin list by emailing nuclear@environment-agency.gov.uk
seen at 11:50, 31 March in Creating a better place.