Horizon Seeks Licence for Wales Nuclear Project

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The developers behind the proposed Wylfa nuclear power project in Wales have applied for a site licence, one of the main permissions needed to build and operate a nuclear plant in the U.K.

The application comes in the same week that the project's reactor technology--the Hitachi-GE UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR)--passed another regulatory milestone. Project developer Horizon Nuclear Power, which was bought out by Hitachi Limited (OTC:HTHIF) (Tokyo, Japan) in 2012, submitted the application to the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The application comes after two years of preparation and triggers what Horizon called "a rigorous 19-month programme of assessment and intervention to establish whether [we] can demonstrate it will be in control of all safety-related activities on its site."

Horizon plans to use two ABWR reactors at the Wylfa site on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. It will have a proposed generating capacity of 2,600 megawatts (MW). The project is expected to kick-off in mid-2019 and be commissioned in mid-2025. Horizon also has plans to build a bigger nuclear plant, Oldbury II, in Oldbury-on-Severn in South Gloucestershire, England, with a capacity of 3,900 MW.

"Today's announcement marks a significant development in the maturity and growth of Horizon as we get ready to build and operate our lead site at Wylfa Newydd," said Anthony Webb, safety and licensing director, Horizon. "We already have a proven technology, aligned with experienced leadership, and we are rapidly building the wider capability and organisation to help ensure success. Our focus will now be fully on providing the ONR with confidence in our ability to safely deliver this crucial project."

Mike Finnerty, deputy chief nuclear inspector and director of ONR's New Reactors Programme, said: "This is the first licence application for a new nuclear power station since 2011, and over the past three years, we have been engaged with Horizon, providing them advice on the licensing process and the robust requirements expected of a nuclear site licensee."

The ONR recently closed the second and remaining Regulatory Issue (RI) for Hitachi-GE's ABWR. The ABWR now enters the final stage of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process and remains on track to be cleared for use by the end of the year.

Earlier this month, Industrial Info reported that the AP1000 nuclear reactor from Westinghouse Electric Company (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) has been cleared for use by the U.K.'s ONR for one of the largest proposed nuclear projects, the 3,800 MW Moorside project in West Cumbria. For additional information, see April 4, 2017, article - U.K. Approves Westinghouse Nuclear Reactor.

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