Decision: GDA Step 1 of the GE-Hitachi SMR: statement of findings

Statement of findings of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) Step 1 for the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power station design.

The Environment Agency, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and Natural Resources Wales (the regulators) have an assessment process which enables them to scrutinise new nuclear power station designs before they are built in the UK. This process is called generic design assessment (GDA).

Step 1 of the GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC (UK Branch) GDA formally began on 25 January 2024.

The regulators have now completed Step 1 of the GDA and the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have issued a joint Step 1 statement of findings on the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 SMR design. This statement is published here, along with a report of the findings and a public summary of the report. A version of the report in Welsh is published on the Natural Resources Wales website. ONR’s reports are published on the joint GDA webpages.

Any nuclear power station design company going through GDA is required to set up a public comments process. Make a comment on the GE-Hitachi website. 

The GDA process is described in the GDA guidance for Requesting Parties.

For any questions about these reports, email: [email protected].