GE-Hitachi’s Small Modular Reactor completes first step of design assessment

GDA process enables regulators to begin assessing the safety, security, safeguarding and environmental aspects of new nuclear power station designs at an early stage of the regulatory process

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC’s proposals for its BWRX-300 nuclear reactor have progressed to the next step of the design assessment process, the Environment Agency, Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) announced today.

The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process enables regulators to begin assessing the safety, security, safeguarding and environmental aspects of new nuclear power station designs at an early stage of the regulatory process and to provide confidence that these new designs can be constructed, operated, and decommissioned in England and Wales.

The focus of the regulators during Step 1, which started in January 2024, has been on ensuring the necessary arrangements, processes and submissions are in place to begin Step 2 of GDA, and that an agreed scope and schedule for the technical assessment of the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 reactor design are in place. Based on the evidence provided, the regulators are satisfied that GE-Hitachi has demonstrated its readiness to proceed to Step 2.

During Step 2, regulatory activity will be targeted on assessing the fundamental adequacy of the BWRX-300 design for deployment in England and Wales. This will consider the suitability of the methodologies, approaches, codes, standards and philosophies identified by GE-Hitachi in the generic safety, security, safeguards and environment cases for securing future regulatory permissions and permits.

As the independent environmental regulator of nuclear sites and radioactive substances in England, the Environment Agency ensures that nuclear companies and the sites they operate meet high standards of environmental protection throughout the stages of design, construction, operation and decommissioning.

Saffron Price-Finnerty, the Environment Agency’s New Reactors Programme Manager, said:

Our Environment Agency team has been working diligently with GE-Hitachi to achieve the first major milestone of the GDA of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor design and we’re now ready to move from Step 1, Initiation, to Step 2, Fundamental Assessment.

During Step 2 our skilled and experienced team will be assessing the underpinning fundamentals of the BWRX-300, including identifying any specific environmental protection issues or concerns that we find.

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