Holtec Britain, a subsidiary of Holtec International (USA) has set a new record for expeditious regulatory approval by completing the first half of the two-step UK Generic Design Assessment process (GDA) for its SMR-300 at merely 10 months. This is faster than any previous GDA assessment which also speaks to the commitment of the UK’s nuclear regulators.
The GDA process is conducted by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Environment Agency, and Natural Resources Wales. This process provides confidence to the UK government that a proposed reactor design can be constructed, operated, and decommissioned in accordance with the high standards of safety, security, and environmental protection required in Great Britain.
In addition to evaluation of Holtec’s SMR-300 technology, GDA ‘Step 1’ also assessed the operational readiness of Holtec Britain. This positive regulatory assessment confirms that Holtec Britain is a capable and competent nuclear organisation ready to deliver major nuclear power projects in the United Kingdom.
Supported by a £60m investment (£30m of which was secured from the UK government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund award last year HH38.18), the Holtec Britain team has now more than tripled in size and is operating from a UK HQ based in Bristol. Over the past ten months, Holtec Britain established all necessary design, quality, and safeguards processes for the GDA in compliance with UK regulation and has established a team with strong competencies in all relevant key technical areas.
This means that Holtec is in a strong position – working closely with its key partners Hyundai E&C, Mitsubishi Electric, Mott Macdonald and Balfour Beatty. Holtec’s plan for the UK includes the establishment of a heavy manufacturing plant to build SMR-300 components mirroring the Company’s existing plants in the United States.
Dr. Rick Springman, Holtec’s President of Global Clean Energy Opportunities responsible for Holtec Britain commented:
“This positive endorsement shows that Holtec Britain is ready to deliver major nuclear programs in the United Kingdom. We have complemented our existing UK team with a brilliant team of UK engineers and international experts from Korea, Japan and the USA and are well on our way to create an operation centre of excellence committed to delivering our SMR-300 program in the UK and globally premised on UK’s incumbent PWR technology”.
Prof Dame Julia King FRS FREng, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Senior Adviser to Holtec Britain added:
“The UK target of net zero by 2050 is one we must meet. The government has also set an ambitious mission of clean power by 2030. SMRs and Holtec are critical to helping the UK achieve those goals. Holtec’s UK SMR factory will also help us to become a clean energy superpower, an exporter of SMRs, and create thousands of high-paying highly-skilled jobs domestically in the process.”
Some Members of Holtec Britian’s SMR Team assembled for a photo at our Bristol Office.
Holtec has also advanced the delivery of its new major UK SMR manufacturing facility which will complement its three operational US manufacturing facilities. Having down-selected from more than 25 locations across the UK through a formal call for interest, Holtec is now engaged in detailed site evaluations to identify the most suitable location for construction. Key factors in deciding the location are access to export markets and proximity to Holtec’s existing UK supply chain which is needed to support the new factory. The factory will deliver for the UK’s programme, exports to Europe and the Middle East while targeting prospective work in the UK’s Naval Defence program.
Gareth Thomas, Director of Holtec Britain commented:
“In addition to the thousands of jobs the new factory will create, it will also serve as a strategic national asset to support UK energy security and national security with the resilience that comes from domestic supply.”
Holtec’s Advanced Manufacturing Division in Camden, New Jersey will serve as a reference for the new UK factory
(more information is available on our website)
The regulators’ statements can be found here:
Office for Nuclear Regulation: ONR Holtec SMR-300 Step 1 Statement
Environment Agency / Natural Resource Wales: EA Holtec SMR-300 Step 1 Statement