Third generation nuclear reactor approved for Bradwell B, UK

• 2 years ago (2022-02-08)
• David Flin

Europe 1089 Nuclear 659

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Bradwell B Power Company (BrB), consisting of China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and EDF , is developing proposals for two HPR1000 pressurised water reactors (PWRs) to be constructed at the Bradwell site in Essex, UK. The HPR1000 has been designed by CGN and have been constructed at three sites in China.

After a four-year design consultation, the UK Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has issued a Design Acceptance Confirmation (DAC) and the Environment Agency has issued a Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA).

The reactor core of the HPR1000 is made up of 177 sets of 3.6 m fuel assemblies. Each fuel assembly consists of 264 fuel rods, 24 guide tubes, and one gauge pipe arranged in a 17 by 17 array. The twin reactors will be able to generate 2.2 GW on completion.

Saffron Price Finnerty, Nuclear Regulation Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “We have completed a rigorous assessment of the UK HPR1000 and concluded that it is capable of meeting the high standards that we expect.”

However, the Environment Agency has also raised 45 assessment findings. An assessment finding is an unresolved issue that is not considered critical to the decision to start construction but must be addressed during construction of any new build project.