Representation by Office for Nuclear Regulation (Office for Nuclear Regulation)
- Date submitted
- 21 July 2020
- Submitted by
- Other statutory consultees
Office for Nuclear Regulation The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is the principal regulator of the safety and civil nuclear security of the UK nuclear industry, and licenses and regulates a broad range of nuclear facilities and activities. ONR is also responsible for the regulation of nuclear safeguards and the regulation of transport of radioactive materials. In June 2020, NNB Generation Company (SZC) Ltd applied for a nuclear site licence to allow it to install and operate two EPR™ reactors at the Sizewell C site; ONR is currently assessing this application. The standard nuclear site licence comes with 36 licence conditions and ONR will not grant a licence to NNB Generation Company (SZC) Ltd until it is satisfied that the company has adequate, fit-for-purpose arrangements that address all of these licence conditions. The grant of a nuclear site licence will not give NNB Generation Company (SZC) Ltd permission to proceed with nuclear-related construction on the site. The licence conditions allow ONR to exercise a number of controls throughout the construction or installation, commissioning and operation of the station. In particular, commencement of nuclear related construction on the site, which ONR defines as the placement of the first structural concrete for buildings with nuclear safety significance, will require a separate permission by ONR granted under one of the licence conditions. ONR may also elect to permission other stages of construction or installation and commissioning. ONR’s licensing work will also take into account the consequences for and hazards posed by the adjacent Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations. The design of the proposed twin reactor development at Sizewell C is closely based on that for the power station that is currently under construction at Hinkley Point C. Details of ONR’s work on assessing the Hinkley Point C nuclear site licence application and subsequent permissioning of the station’s construction, are available on the relevant ONR webpage [Redacted]. ONR carried out an assessment of the generic EPR design in 2012 and concluded that it could be safely constructed and operated in the United Kingdom. The detail design of the EPRs under construction at Hinkley Point C has continued to develop since 2012 and ONR has maintained its regulatory oversight as that design has developed. ONR has undertaken an initial examination of relevant parts of the Sizewell C Development Consent Order (DCO) application and its supporting documents. At this stage, we have no substantive comments. However, we will provide a more detailed representation at the start of the DCO examination phase that will highlight any issues that arise from our further examination of the DCO application, as well as providing an update on our work on assessing NNB Generation Company (SZC) Ltd’s application for a nuclear site licence. ONR will also be pleased to provide advice or evidence to the Examining Authority regarding matters identified as relevant in the Nuclear National Policy Statement as well as on any issues relating to our regulatory role or processes that may arise during the Examining Authority’s consideration of the DCO application.