Process ensures new reactor designs meet highest standards
GE Hitachi’s (GEH) BWRX-300 small modular reactor has completed Step 1 of the UK regulator’s generic design assessment process
The US-based company said in a statement on 12 December that the approval for the advanced boiling water reactor unit marks an important step forward in the process to bring GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 SMR technology to market in the UK.
Step 1 of GEH’s GDA began in January 2024 and focused on agreeing the scope and schedule for Step 2. GEH said Step 2, which includes an assessment by the Environment Agency to identify any fundamental environment protection shortfalls in the design, has now begun.
GEH said the GDA process ensures that new reactor designs meet the highest standards for safety, security, and environmental protection.
According to GEH, the BWRX-300 is an advanced, cost-competitive nuclear plant that can be deployed for electricity generation and industrial applications, including hydrogen production, desalination, and district heating. Its passive safety systems means that neither external power nor operator action would be needed to maintain a safe state, even in extreme circumstances.
It is based on an existing boiling water reactor design – the ESBWR – that is licensed in the US. It also uses an existing, licensed fuel design.
GEH and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) are developing the first BWRX-300 at OPG’s Darlington site near Toronto. Early site preparation work has been completed, with construction expected to start in 2025 and commercial operation to commence by the end of 2029. A total of four 300 MW units are planned for the Darlington site.
Utility SaskPower is considering deployment of a BWRX-300 SMR in Saskatchewan province.
In Poland, state-controlled energy giant Orlen and private partner Synthos Green Energy formed the Orlen Synthos Green Energy joint venture to collaborate on the potential deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs in the European country.
