UK government initiates justification process

The UK's Department for Business and Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) announced on 31 March that it has invited the nuclear industry "to bring forward new reactor designs for a justification decision, an important stage in getting the first new nuclear build started in the UK." The justification process is a necessary step to meet the requirements of EU regulation to ensure that the benefits and detriments are properly evaluated before new nuclear plants can be constructed. BERR said that multiple reactor designs could be assessed as part of a single application. Business secretary John Hutton said, "Momentum is building and it is important this is maintained by taking the necessary steps to reduce the regulatory and planning risks facing investors." The justification process, including a formal consultation, is expected to take about 18 months to complete. BERR said that the justification process is distinct from other facilitative steps being taken by the government, including Generic Design Assessment (GDA) and Strategic Siting Assessment (SSA).

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