The government said that, as these designs are eligible for the first stage of the pre-licensing process, they will be taken forward by the joint program office, comprising of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Environment Agency.
The applications from vendors of nuclear reactor designs for generic design assessment (GDA) were invited by the government’s nuclear consultation document, which was published alongside its energy white paper in May 2007. The paper also set out the criteria for designs to be eligible for the pre-licensing process.
The government said that, if successful in phase one, which includes an assessment of the safety case for each reactor design, a design may be able to progress to phase two of the GDA, where the designs will be assessed in more detail. It is likely that the number of designs to be considered during phase two will be reduced from four to three. Phase two is subject to the outcome of the nuclear consultation.
In a press release confirming that the applications have been successful, the government restated its view that nuclear power will play an important role in tackling climate change and ensuring the security of energy supply in the UK. The government believes that it is in the public interest to give companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations and the consultation is designed to assess public response to this view.
The initial stages of pre-licensing are being carried out on a contingent basis alongside, and subject to, the outcome of the nuclear consultation. However, the government said that starting the first steps in the detailed and lengthy GDA process is a prudent step, alongside the nuclear consultation, to keeping open the option of new nuclear power stations.
