The UK Government has approved 10 sites for the possible location of new nuclear power stations in the UK. The 10 sites deemed suitable for future nuclear plants are -
Bradwell in Essex,
Braystones, Kirksanton and Sellafield in Cumbria,
Hartlepool, Heysham in Lancashire
Hinkley Point in Somerset
Oldbury in Gloucestershire
Sizewell in Suffolk
Wylfa on the Isle of Anglesey.
Three companies either own the sites or have bought them from the NDA.
EDF Energy (formerly British Energy) own the sites at Bradwell, Hartlepool, Heysham, Hinkley Point and Sizewell with Hinkley Point and Sizewell identified as the sites to be utilised fist.
Horizon Nuclear (a consortium of E.On and RWE Nukem) own the sites at Braystones, Kirksanton, Oldbury and Wylfa with Oldbury and Wylfa identified as the sites to be utilised first.
A consortium of Iberdrola, GDF Suez and Scottish and Southern Electricity owns the site at Sellafield.
Generic Design Assessment of Nuclear Reactors
The Nuclear Directorate of the Health and Safety Executuve is undertaking a Generic Design Assessment of any reactor proposed for the new build programme. Initially four reactors designs were considered when the assessment started in August 2007 -
AECL ACR1000 (Advanced Candu Reactor)
Areva EPR (European Pressurised Water Reactor)
GE-Hitachi ESBWR (Economically Simplified Boiling Water Reactor)
Westinghouse AP1000 (Advanced Passive)
Initial assessments were completed in March 2008 but was quickly followed by AECL withdrawing from the process in April 2008. Detailed assessment of the remaining designs started in June 2008. In September 2008 GE requested that the process be suspended for their design. The Step 3 reports were published in November 2009 followed by public consultation. The target date for the final report is June 2011.
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