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Released December 20, 2017 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Two nuclear projects in the U.K. have moved closer to construction after the proposed reactor technology from Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy (Wilmington, North Carolina) (Hitachi-GE) was green-lit by the country's nuclear regulator.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) revealed that the company's U.K. Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (U.K. ABWR) had passed the rigorous four-year Generic Design Assessment (GDA). The GDA is used to test all new reactor designs to ensure that it meets regulatory expectations on safety, security and environmental protection. The ONR has issued a Design Acceptance Confirmation (DAC), and the environment agencies have issued a Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA) to Hitachi-GE.
The projects have been approved and are being developed by Horizon Nuclear Power, which was bought out by Hitachi Limited (OTC:HTHIF) (Tokyo, Japan) in 2012. 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 2,700 megawatts (MW). The project was expected to kick off in mid-2019 and be commissioned in mid-2025 but it is expected to run a few years late. Horizon also has plans to build another nuclear plant, Oldbury II, in Oldbury-on-Severn in South Gloucestershire, England, with a minimum capacity of 2,700 MW.
"The completion of the generic design assessment of the U.K. ABWR is a significant step in our regulation of the overall process to construct this type of reactor in the U.K., ensuring that the generic design meets the highest standards of safety that we expect in this country," said Mark Foy, ONR's chief nuclear inspector. "We're already working on our assessment of Horizon's site licence application and on the development of the site-specific safety case to progress, in due course, the construction and operation of these reactors at Wylfa Newydd."
Duncan Hawthorne, Horizon chief executive officer, said: "This is a huge milestone for Horizon and a major leap forward for us in bringing much-needed new nuclear power to the U.K. Nuclear can deliver high volumes of stable low-carbon energy, which makes it a vital part of the country's electricity mix and once up and running, both Wylfa Newydd and our Oldbury site will supply clean, reliable power to the U.K. for decades to come."
Industrial Info reported in October on how the U.K. government has placed nuclear power and renewable energy at the heart of its long awaited Clean Growth Strategy initiative. For additional information, see October 20, 2017, article - U.K. Picks Nuclear and Renewables for Future Power.
The news was widely welcomed by the government and the nuclear industry sector.
Richard Harrington, U.K. Energy Minister at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said: "Today's announcement is a major milestone for the development of new innovative nuclear plants in the U.K. As we set out in our Industrial Strategy, we are putting the U.K. at the forefront of future technologies which have the potential to create value and jobs across the U.K. Horizon Nuclear Power's nuclear technology is one example of this."
Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: "The design approval of the U.K. ABWR is good news for the U.K.'s new nuclear programme and signals the conclusion of a thorough, rigorous and detailed process by the U.K.'s independent regulators, widely acknowledged as world class. With two-thirds of U.K. power stations closing between 2010 and 2030, this is an important step in providing secure, reliable and low-carbon nuclear power for the future, to homes, businesses and public services."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) revealed that the company's U.K. Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (U.K. ABWR) had passed the rigorous four-year Generic Design Assessment (GDA). The GDA is used to test all new reactor designs to ensure that it meets regulatory expectations on safety, security and environmental protection. The ONR has issued a Design Acceptance Confirmation (DAC), and the environment agencies have issued a Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA) to Hitachi-GE.
The projects have been approved and are being developed by Horizon Nuclear Power, which was bought out by Hitachi Limited (OTC:HTHIF) (Tokyo, Japan) in 2012. 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 2,700 megawatts (MW). The project was expected to kick off in mid-2019 and be commissioned in mid-2025 but it is expected to run a few years late. Horizon also has plans to build another nuclear plant, Oldbury II, in Oldbury-on-Severn in South Gloucestershire, England, with a minimum capacity of 2,700 MW.
"The completion of the generic design assessment of the U.K. ABWR is a significant step in our regulation of the overall process to construct this type of reactor in the U.K., ensuring that the generic design meets the highest standards of safety that we expect in this country," said Mark Foy, ONR's chief nuclear inspector. "We're already working on our assessment of Horizon's site licence application and on the development of the site-specific safety case to progress, in due course, the construction and operation of these reactors at Wylfa Newydd."
Duncan Hawthorne, Horizon chief executive officer, said: "This is a huge milestone for Horizon and a major leap forward for us in bringing much-needed new nuclear power to the U.K. Nuclear can deliver high volumes of stable low-carbon energy, which makes it a vital part of the country's electricity mix and once up and running, both Wylfa Newydd and our Oldbury site will supply clean, reliable power to the U.K. for decades to come."
Industrial Info reported in October on how the U.K. government has placed nuclear power and renewable energy at the heart of its long awaited Clean Growth Strategy initiative. For additional information, see October 20, 2017, article - U.K. Picks Nuclear and Renewables for Future Power.
The news was widely welcomed by the government and the nuclear industry sector.
Richard Harrington, U.K. Energy Minister at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said: "Today's announcement is a major milestone for the development of new innovative nuclear plants in the U.K. As we set out in our Industrial Strategy, we are putting the U.K. at the forefront of future technologies which have the potential to create value and jobs across the U.K. Horizon Nuclear Power's nuclear technology is one example of this."
Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: "The design approval of the U.K. ABWR is good news for the U.K.'s new nuclear programme and signals the conclusion of a thorough, rigorous and detailed process by the U.K.'s independent regulators, widely acknowledged as world class. With two-thirds of U.K. power stations closing between 2010 and 2030, this is an important step in providing secure, reliable and low-carbon nuclear power for the future, to homes, businesses and public services."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
