News in depth

Generic Design Assessment

In March 2008, the initial assessment of four nuclear power station designs was completed. No shortfalls in any of the four designs were found, and reports on each design were published.

Builder and Engineer 18th March 2008

The HSE and the Environment Agency published a number of assessment reports following the conclusion of this initial stage of the assessment process.

Assessment reports on the EPR Reactor

Assessment reports on the AP1000 Reactor

Assessment reports on the ACR-1000 reactor and the ESBWR

The next stage was going to be a prioritisation process to reduce the number of designs to three, but Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd pulled its ACR-1000 design out of the process, and General Electric and Hitachi Ltd. asked for a temporary halt to the assessment of its Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR).

Progress so far

This left only the Toshiba-Westinghouse AP1000 design and the Areva-Siemens European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) still in the process.

The GDA should be completed around mid-2011, when the regulators would issue statements about the acceptability of the designs.

Design Assessment Timeline

HSE Press Release 18th March 2008

Staff shortages

Staff shortages at the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) could lead to delays. The HSE is attempting to recruit 50 new nuclear inspectors, but too few people have been applying.

Guardian 20th Oct 2008

In January 2008, the Government asked Dr Tim Stone to conduct a review of nuclear regulation. Dr. Stone has now reported his findings, and on 27 January 2009 the Government published the recommendations of his review and the Government’s response.

Dr. Stone recommended that the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) should have greater ability to recruit effectively in order to meet the short-term challenges of new build, such as generic design assessment, alongside the work on existing installations. Dr. Stone recommends that in the medium term, the NII and the wider nuclear directorate of the HSE be structured to give it greater financial and organisational flexibility.

In response to Dr. Stone’s proposals, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Work and Pensions said they recognise that the NII will need additional resources to boost recruitment and retention of staff. The Government also recognise that the organisation needs greater operational and financial flexibility within the auspices of the HSE to meet the challenges of nuclear regulation into the future. To this effect, the Government expect to bring forward legislative proposals that will address these issues.

Dr Stone’s Nuclear Regulatory Review: Summary and Recommendations, December 2008

Government Response 27th January 2009

HSE Response

Hansard 27th January 2009

The National Metals Technology Centre identified the GDA as a significant bottleneck in the new build process. Without the GDA coming to fruition, no building can take place. Delays in its completion will affect confidence throughout the supply chain.

National Metals Technology Centre report, September 2008

 

Last Updated 1st April 2009