Policy paper

Environment Agency's consultation plan on the generic design assessment of the UK HPR1000

Published 21 December 2020

Applies to England

Regulators make decisions about the acceptability of nuclear reactor designs.

This plan sets out how the Environment Agency is proposing to consult with stakeholders on the generic design assessment (GDA) of General Nuclear System Ltd’s UK HPR1000 nuclear power station.

We want you to tell us what you think about our assessment of the UK HPR1000 to help inform our final decision.

The 12-week consultation begins on 11 January 2021 and will close on 4 April 2021.

The Environment Agency’s priority is to protect people and the environment, and to support those we regulate during the coronavirus pandemic. Read our coronavirus update.

1. Feedback on our approach

If you have any comments about our approach to the consultation of the UK HPR1000, please email:

nuclear@environment-agency.gov.uk

2. Who may be interested in our consultation

Members of the public and other stakeholders who:

• want to give the Environment Agency information that’s relevant to the generic design assessment of the UK HPR1000 nuclear power station

• live or work in an area where this design may be proposed by a developer (currently local council areas near the Bradwell nuclear site, Blackwater estuary and the surrounding towns and villages)

• represent a community they will share this information with

• are interested in how we assess new nuclear power stations

3. Approach to engaging

While it will always remain the responsibility of the regulators to make decisions about the assessment of nuclear power station designs, we want our decisions to be better informed through good engagement.

It’s important to us that we involve people in decisions that affect their community. We want to understand peoples’ comments and views. Where relevant we can use these to help inform our assessments.

We’ll publish a document that sets out our preliminary conclusions on the design alongside our assessment reports. We’ll consult you on these conclusions in England from January 2021. When the consultation starts we’ll add a link to this page so you can respond to the consultation.

We will not make our final decisions on the UK HPR1000 until we have carefully considered comments from the consultation.

4. Engagement aims

Our aim is to strengthen trust and confidence in us as regulators and to make sure:

• we understand stakeholder views so that we can use them to inform our assessments
• we reach a wide range of stakeholders at appropriate times
• our stakeholders understand how they can provide comments and views
• our stakeholders understand our role in nuclear regulation – what we do and what we do not do

5. Consultation objectives

We want to make sure stakeholders:

• understand how we assessed the reactor design
• understand the conclusions of our assessments and why we have made our decisions
• understand how they can provide their views, what they can and cannot comment on and how we’ll use their input to inform our assessment
• have many opportunities to give us their views
• help make our final decision on the acceptability of the reactor design as robust as possible
• know more about how GDA fits into the bigger picture of nuclear power station development
• understand each regulator’s role, specifically around GDA and regulation of nuclear new build – what we do and what we do not do

6. Our stakeholders

We will consult with:

• members of the public (including local interest and action groups) near existing or proposed nuclear power stations, particularly those living near to Bradwell where the UK HPR1000 is proposed
• elected representatives and government agencies, including MPs
• local councils, especially those within a 25 mile radius of the proposed Bradwell B power station and other representative bodies near the site
• non-government organisations (NGOs) and environmental groups
• academics
• the nuclear industry, including potential developers and operators

7. Preparing to consult

We’ve talked to national and local stakeholders about:

• their communities and the local environment
• how they prefer to receive information from us
• events and meetings we can attend to talk about our work
• the best locations to hold community drop-in events
• concerns and opportunities around online engagement

8. How we’ll engage and communicate during consultation

We will:

• publish information on GOV.UK
• carry out an online public consultation on Citizen Space
• share information through e-bulletins
• use our social media accounts to raise awareness
• work with journalists to share information in local and national media
• provide information such as leaflets or infographics to the local community
• advertise the consultation in local media
• share information through community channels and local advocates
• share information through General Nuclear System Ltd and Bradwell Generation Company Limited channels (for example a newsletter) where appropriate
• invite national stakeholders to an online consultation event
• offer video and telephone questions and answer sessions
• hold local community drop-in events near Bradwell Generation Company Limited proposed site unless Environment Agency and public health guidance prevents this
• listen to NGO concerns at nuclear liaison fora
• meet with representatives and groups near proposed sites – online or in person, unless Environment Agency and public health guidance prevents this
• participate in conferences, meetings and exhibitions run by others
• attend and speak at site stakeholder groups and community meetings – online or in person, unless Environment Agency and public health guidance prevents this
• brief national and local MPs

9. How to get involved

Please email your comments about this consultation plan to nuclear@environment-agency.gov.uk.

10. Responding to stakeholders

We will:

• consider responses we receive and any information arising from the consultation
• use these responses to inform our decisions where relevant
• explain how stakeholder input has informed our decisions
• update stakeholders about stages of the consultation and our final decisions through our websites, e-bulletins, social media and news stories, and at events

We expect to:

• publish a document containing all your responses on GOV.UK in May 2021, approximately 1 month from the close of consultation
• publish our decision document on GOV.UK at the end of GDA – our target to complete this is early 2022

11. Keep in touch

You can sign up to our e-bulletin. Email nuclear@environment-agency.gov.uk.

13. More information

You can read:

• New nuclear power: assessing power station designs
• Generic design assessment of new nuclear power stations
• about the government’s consultation principles

GDA comments process

General Nuclear System Ltd’s comments process is a requirement of our GDA process. The comments process started in November 2017.