These web pages explain the generic design assessment process (previously known as ‘pre-licensing’) being brought in by the UK nuclear regulators (HSE and the Environment Agency).
Companies will be able to submit information on their reactor designs to the nuclear regulators, who will assess them in advance of any application to build a nuclear power station at a particular site. This process will allow a rigorous and structured examination of detailed design information by the regulators, and is likely to take approximately 3.5 year to complete (based on the assumption that 3 designs will be considered at the same time). At the end of their assessment (and at key stages during it) the regulators will issue reports on their findings, confirming whether they judge a design to be satisfactory.
In May 2007 the Government published its Energy White Paper ‘Meeting the Energy Challenge’, which covered a range of energy issues including nuclear power. At the same time, the Government also published a consultation document ‘The Future of Nuclear power’, on the Governments preliminary view that it is in the public interest to give private energy companies the option to invest in nuclear power stations.
The consultation document (CD) refers to the generic design assessment system devised by the nuclear regulators (HSE, the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) for new nuclear power stations. The CD invites applications from vendors of nuclear reactors interested in having their designs assessed, and set down criteria that these needed to meet to be eligible for the first stage of the assessment process.
In July the Government announced that four applications had been made which met these criteria (which included having the support of a ‘credible’ nuclear power operator. These designs are:
HSE and the Environment Agency have now started the assessment process for all four designs. The first part of HSE's assessment process was mainly preparatory, for example signing of formal Agreements and discussing safety submission proposals. These have been completed and HSE has moved on to STEP 2 of its assessment - the fundamental safety overview. The aim of this step is to identify if there are any fundamental design aspects or safety shortfalls that could prevent the proposed design from being licensed in the UK. This should be completed for all four designs in early 2008.
The Government’s consultation exercise will run until mid-October 2007 and are likely to announce their final policy conclusions on nuclear power towards the end of the year. All nuclear related work (including generic design assessment) is progressing on a contingency basis and would be stopped if, following the consultation, the Government concludes that it will not support the building of new nuclear power stations.
On 10 September 2007, the HSE and the Environment Agency launched the public involvement element of the Generic Design Assessment process. This will allow the public to view detailed design information on the web and then comment on safety, security and environmental aspects of the design.
A new website has been set up jointly by HSE and the Environment Agency which gives more information on new reactor assessment and the public involvement process.
