Rolls-Royce鈥檚 (RR.) small modular reactor (SMR) design has passed the next stage in its permitting process in the UK after the government 鈥渏ustified鈥� the design. This is part of the long planning process but further ministerial approval for the technology. Parliamentary approval is still needed.
The decision came at the same time as the government announced it would make nuclear power plant planning and permitting easier. The Rolls-Royce SMR will still need to go through the existing process, which a review last year said was 鈥渃entral to this relative decline鈥� in the UK鈥檚 nuclear sector.
鈥淭he increasing complexity and risk aversion of our regulatory system has contributed to a weakening of the UK鈥檚 leadership and competitiveness [in nuclear power],鈥� said John Fingleton, who led the review.
The changes will remove 鈥渄uplicative or overly complex guidance, rules and regulations that have been holding back our nuclear ambitions鈥�, said chancellor Rachel Reeves on Friday morning.
One example used in the Fingleton review was the measures at Hinkley Point C to reduce the number of fish killed by its water intake. A 拢700mn programme will save 鈥�0.083 salmon per year, along with 0.028 sea trout, 6 river lamprey, 18 Allis shad, and 528 twaite shad鈥�, the review said.
It heard from environmental groups as well, some of whom were said to 鈥渢hink the current system works well and that high costs are mainly due to developers not planning enough for mitigation鈥�.
Hinkley Point C鈥檚 total budget is now 拢49bn, compared to an 拢18bn estimate in 2016.
