GDA Step 1 statement: summary on the Rolls-Royce SMR
Published 3 April 2023
Applies to England and Wales
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This statement sets out our findings following Step 1 (Initiation) of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of the Rolls-Royce SMR (small modular reactor) nuclear power station design.
Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd is the ‘Requesting Party’ (RP) that submitted this design for GDA. The environmental regulators – the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) – work closely with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) on GDA.
The Rolls-Royce SMR design is a pressurised water reactor with an electrical output of 470 megawatts. This reactor is described as modular, with many components built in factory conditions and assembled on site.
The GDA process
In GDA, the Environment Agency and NRW assess if the environmental aspects of a new reactor design are acceptable. They do this before any developer applies to use the design at a specific site. GDA enables the regulators to get involved at an early stage of the design when they can have most influence. It also helps enhance regulatory confidence in the design, which is likely to interest designers, investors, and potential operators.
Step 1 of the GDA is preparing for the design assessment. The Environment Agency and NRW provide advice to the RP on the scope of the assessment and the development of their technical submissions. They also agree the funding approach and the arrangements that are necessary to ensure the successful delivery of GDA. They also assess the RP’s capacity and capability to deliver the agreed scope of the GDA.
The environmental regulators began Step 1 of the GDA of the Rolls-Royce SMR in April 2022 and it lasted for 12 months.
At the end of Step 1 they concluded that:
- Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd has completed all the elements of Step 1 that are needed to enter Step 2 – Fundamental Assessment of the GDA
- the environmental regulators and Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd have adequate resources in place and are ready to enter Step 2
Therefore, the Environment Agency and NRW have agreed with Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd that Step 2 can begin in April 2023.
In coming to this position, the Environment Agency and NRW have engaged extensively with Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd and ONR to review the suitability of all the relevant information provided (submissions) during Step 1.
The regulators have agreed that the scope of the GDA is appropriate. Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd have provided enough information and functional specifications for the design so that they can carry out a meaningful GDA.
Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd has confirmed they are seeking to complete all 3 steps of GDA and are aiming for a Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA) to be issued at the end of Step 3.
The environmental regulators consider that the overall scope should be sufficient for Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd to aim for the issue of a SoDA, subject to acceptable assessment outcomes.
Proposed timetable
The proposed timescales for this GDA is to enter Step 2 in April 2023 – and the environmental regulators have agreed to this.
Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd aims to conclude Step 2 in July 2024 and then to complete Step 3 – Detailed Assessment, in August 2026. Entry into Step 3 will be subject to regulatory agreement, and confirmation that appropriate funding and resources are in place.
Information submissions
Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd have provided scope and submission plans for each topic that the Environment Agency and NRW will be assessing in Step 2. The regulators have discussed these plans with Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd and consider they are sufficient for meaningful assessment to be carried out.
The regulators have agreed the submission schedules for each topic, however these plans are subject to change and the regulators will continue to discuss the Step 2 submissions schedule with Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd. Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd has also set out an acceptable structure for the submissions that make up the environment case.
An interface agreement is in place which sets out how Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd will submit information and how the regulators will track it.
Also in place are arrangements for correspondence and meetings, and how regulatory queries (RQs), regulatory observations (ROs) and regulatory issues (RIs) will be raised and tracked.
The submissions provided by Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd adequately address all the information requirements set out in our Guidance for Requesting Parties for Step 1.
Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd has set out how it will manage the comments process and make information available to the public on a website during Step 2. We have agreed that these arrangements are suitable and will be ready for the start of Step 2.
The report Step 1 GDA of the Rolls-Royce SMR: statement of findings sets out in more detail the activities that have taken place during Step 1 and the regulators’ views on relevant topics.