The United Kingdom’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales are set to begin a three-step process for evaluation of Rolls-Royce’s 470MW small modular reactor (SMR).
The design plans for the Rolls-Royce SMR were submitted in November to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which gave the plans a preliminary review before turning them over to the ONR for an extensive review called a Generic Design Assessment (GDA).
Although the ONR’s previous experience involves full-scale nuclear power plant design reviews, the SMR design assessment is expected to take about four years. With that as a starting point, the earliest a factor-built, on-site assembled nuclear plant in the UK not expected to be operational until the early-to-mid 2030s.
Experts have estimated the UK would need 16 SMRs to replace its aging nuclear power plants, most of which are expected to be shut down in the same decade SMRs would be read to go online.
“Entering the GDA process is another major milestone as we head at pace towards our goal of deploying a fleet of SMRs which will produce affordable, low carbon electricity – helping meet future energy demands and reach our net zero targets," said Tom Samson, Rolls-Royce SMR CEO in a statement, adding, “the UK regulatory process is internationally recognized and respected. We welcome the scrutiny and challenge that goes into the assessment of our nuclear power plant design.”