EDF Energy is planning to build two new European Pressurized Reactors (EPR)| on its site at Hinkley Point.
AREVA and EDF Energy have submitted a joint application for Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of the UK EPR under the process set up by the UK Nuclear Regulators| (the Health and Safety Executive, and the Environment Agency) for new UK nuclear power stations.
The application brings together the combined strengths of AREVA, the owner and manufacturer of EPR technology, and a vendor already building an EPR in Finland.
EDF Group, the leading nuclear energy utility in Europe is already constructing an EPR in France.
The UK EPR nuclear power reactor combines familiar and proven technology with performance and safety innovations and is based on a power station already being built at Flamanville in France.
In March 2008, the UK Nuclear Regulators approved the EPR to move to the next, more detailed stage of the Generic Design Assessment after they found no safety, security or environmental reasons not to progress it.
Generic Design Assessment (GDA)
The aim of the GDA is to produce a consistent and transparent process that can be applied to the different reactor designs offered by several companies. Under the GDA process, companies such as EDF Energy submit information on their reactor designs to the Nuclear Regulators,who assess this information before a full application is made to build a nuclear power station at a particular site.
The process involves a rigorous and structured examination of detailed design information by the Regulators. At the end of their assessment (and at key stages during it) the Regulators will issue reports on their findings, confirming whether they judge a design to be satisfactory.The assessment process will be carried out in an open and transparent manner, designed to facilitate the involvement of the public, who will be able to view and comment on design information published on the web.
