The Environment Agency, Office for Nuclear Regulation
(ONR), and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) can
confirm that the Holtec SMR-300 nuclear reactor
design has successfully completed Step 2 of the Generic Design
Assessment (GDA).
Step 2 began in August 2024 and involved
a comprehensive and
rigorous regulatory assessment examining the
fundamental adequacy of the reactor design and its
safety, security, safeguards and environmental
protection documentation.
The assessment has concluded with the issuing of two GDA
statements setting out the
regulators' conclusions on the Holtec SMR-300 and
its supporting documentation.
Regulators have confirmed that their
assessments have identified no fundamental safety,
security, safeguards or environmental protection
shortfalls with the design that would prevent its
deployment in England and Wales
Saffron Price-Finnerty, the Environment Agency's New
Reactors Programme Manager, said:
This is an important milestone for the Holtec SMR-300 project and
is a great demonstration of the effective collaboration between
Holtec and the regulators.
Based on our assessment across all topic areas, we have found no
fundamental environmental protection shortfalls at this stage in
the development of the SMR-300, that could prevent the design
from being acceptable for future deployment in England or
Wales.
As the environmental regulator of nuclear sites and radioactive
substances in England, the Environment Agency ensures that
nuclear companies and the sites they operate meet high standards
of environmental protection throughout the stages of design,
construction, operation and decommissioning.
Tim Parkes, ONR's Head of the Holtec
SMR-300 GDA, said:
Our assessment covered 21 technical topic areas, and we have
not identified any fundamental shortfalls.
Throughout the GDA process, Holtec has demonstrated an
open-minded and constructive approach that has been instrumental
in enabling us to complete our assessment across all areas. Where
aspects of the design, safety case, and methodologies require
further development, these have been captured in 14 regulatory
observations.
Holtec has engaged positively with each of these observations,
demonstrating a clear commitment to resolution. We are confident
that their resolution plans, if implemented effectively,
will address these observations and support a future design and
safety case.
Paul Gibson, Natural Resources Wales Nuclear Team Leader,
said:
Throughout Step 2 we have worked closely with the Environment
Agency and Office for Nuclear Regulation towards the fundamental
assessment of the Holtec
International – SMR-300, resulting in the successful
delivery of this two-step GDA.
In September 2025 Holtec, in partnership with
EDF Energy and Tritax, announced plans to
construct the SMR-300 at Cottam in Nottinghamshire. At present
Holtec and its partners have not asked us to carry
out Step 3 of GDA. Should construction plans
progress, the regulators will continue to engage with Holtec
and its partners, as they prepare the
design, safety, security & safeguards
and environment safety case, site licence
application, and environmental permit applications.
Before the Holtec SMR-300 can be deployed
in England and Wales, the regulators will need to
undertake a further period of detailed assessment before
safety-significant construction can begin and
environmental permits be issued.
The GDA process enables regulators to assess new nuclear power
station designs at an early stage of the regulatory process and
to provide confidence that these new designs can be
constructed, operated, and decommissioned in England
and Wales.
Read the reports and find
out more about the GDA process.
