1. About this engagement plan
This plan sets out the regulators’ proposed approach to engagement with the public and stakeholders during the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of the Holtec International SMR-300
GDA is a joint process undertaken by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) participates in GDA where a new nuclear power station design is likely to be proposed for construction in Wales.
We welcome your feedback and views on our proposed approach to engagement during GDA.
2. Who might be interested in our engagement?
You might engage with the GDA process if you:
· have knowledge relevant to our technical assessment of the Holtec International SMR-300
· live or work in an area where this design may be proposed by a developer including those on the NDA estate
· represent a ‘community’ or group that you want to share this information with
· are interested in our process for assessing new nuclear power stations
3. Our approach to engagement
As with previous GDAs we will be open and transparent when conducting the design assessment for the SMR-300. We will share information and proposals with stakeholders to build their understanding and knowledge of the assessment, our decision-making process and the roles and responsibilities of the regulators.
We will encourage and enable stakeholder input as it is important to us that we involve people in decisions that affect their community. We want to understand everybody’s comments and views about the Holtec International SMR-300. Where relevant, we can use these comments to help inform our assessments of the reactor design.
While it will always remain the responsibility of the regulators to make decisions throughout a GDA about the adequacy of a reactor design against regulatory requirements, we consider that our decisions will be better informed with meaningful engagement.
We hope this approach will build trust and confidence in us as regulators and enhance stakeholder relationships both locally and nationally.
4. Our objectives
We want stakeholders to:
- understand how we assess a reactor design and what will happen at each stage of this two-step GDA process
- understand how to provide their views, what they can and can’t comment on, and how we’ll use their input to inform our assessment
- have sufficient opportunities to give us their views
- understand the conclusions of our assessment and the decision that we reach
- help make our Step 2 statement, which sets out our findings, as robust as possible
- understand more about how GDA fits into the bigger picture of nuclear power station development
- understand the regulators’ roles, specifically around regulation of nuclear new build – what we do and what we don’t do
5. Our stakeholders
Our stakeholders include:
· the public (including local interest and action groups) living where this design may be proposed by a developer including those on the NDA estate
· the public (including local interest and action groups) living near any future Holtec International SMR-300 factory
· the public living near other existing nuclear power stations or those under construction
· elected representatives and government agencies, including MPs
· local councils and other representative bodies, especially those close to potential nuclear new-build sites, or close to existing sites, those under construction, or those potential new-build sites included in the government’s Nuclear National Policy Statement
· media
· non-government organisations (NGOs)
· academics
· the nuclear industry (including potential developers and operators)
6. How we will engage and share information with stakeholders
Our communications and engagement activity will include:
- publishing information on our websites – the regulators’ joint website pages (www.onr.org.uk/new-reactors/index.htm), or our separate websites - www.onr.org.uk; New nuclear power stations: assessing reactor designs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk); Natural Resources Wales / Our role in nuclear regulation
- sharing information through our organisations’ own e-bulletins
- attending and speaking at potential developers’ nuclear new-build community meetings, planning consultation events and site stakeholder groups
- listening to NGO concerns at nuclear liaison meetings that we organise
- enabling developers to run a public comments process and promoting the public comments process
- meeting with representatives and groups near proposed sites
- participating in conferences/meetings/public exhibitions run by others (such as the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s NGO forum)
- organising and inviting national stakeholders to participative workshops or webinars
- working with journalists to share information in local and national media
- using our social media channels to communicate and raise awareness (Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs)
- sharing information through community channels and local advocates
7. Getting involved
7.1 Comment on a nuclear power station design
The comments process is a requirement of the GDA process. The main features are:
- the design company publishing information about its design, including that sent to the regulators as part of the assessment process, on its own UK GDA website
- design company inviting questions and comments on the design and information provided and responding directly to the comments received
- design company publicising this process
- questions and comments received by the design company, and its subsequent responses, being seen by the regulators which can be used to help inform our assessments
Holtec International has published a website as part of this process.
7.2 Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales public consultation
A two-step GDA does not include public consultation. The Step 3 Detailed Assessment and public consultation is not planned for the Holtec International SMR-300 design. Holtec International is currently seeking a Step 2 GDA Statement and not a Design Acceptance Confirmation (DAC) and Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA) for this design.
Detailed assessment would still need to be carried out by the regulators as part of any future regulatory process including site licence and environmental permit applications. Consultation will be undertaken as part of the environmental permitting process, where the environment agencies will consult on both the application and the proposed decision.
7.3 Engagement
There will also be further opportunities for engagement with us through involvement in various stakeholder groups including Site Stakeholder Groups (SSGs), Local Liaison Committees (LLC), conferences and NGO forums.
8. Reporting progress and responding to stakeholders
We will:
- consider comments received and information arising from the comments process and, where relevant, use these to help inform our assessments
- publish reports summarising stakeholder comments at the end of each GDA step
- explain that if we use stakeholder input to help inform our assessment, we’ll report it in our Step 2 report
- update stakeholders about GDA final decisions through our websites, e-bulletins, social media channels, news stories and at events and conferences
9. Feedback on our approach
We welcome feedback on this engagement strategy. Please send your comments to our communications team in each organisation. Email:
· Office for Nuclear Regulation: contact@onr.gov.uk
· Environment Agency: nuclear@environment-agency.gov.uk,
· Natural Resources Wales: enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
10. Further information
Joint webpages Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of new nuclear power stations (onr.org.uk)
Environment Agency information on GDA New nuclear power stations: assessing reactor designs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
ONR information on GDA Civil Nuclear Reactor Programme (CNRP) - Generic Design Assessement (GDA) (onr.org.uk)
NRW information on GDA Natural Resources Wales / Our role in nuclear regulation (English)
Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Ein rôl ym maes rheoleiddio niwclear Cymraeg (naturalresourceswales.gov.uk)
Infographics to explain and enable understanding of nuclear regulation.
Sciencewise: Public dialogue on ANT Public dialogue on Advanced Nuclear Technologies (ANTs) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Sciencewise: Research report about a public dialogue project to review and improve public involvement in design assessments of new nuclear power stations.
New Nuclear Power Stations: Improving Public Involvement in Reactor Design Assessments | Sciencewise