Regulating radioactive substances

Learn more about how we assess new nuclear power station designs in our latest blog. In this blog Mike Webley and Andrew Pynn share insights from a recent ‘joint regulators’ trip to the United States, highlighting that assessment of nuclear reactor designs isn’t just a desk-based exercise. https://lnkd.in/eeyvJq4x Holtec Britain Holtec International U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission #nuclear

Assessing new nuclear power station designs GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has published its Generic Design Assessment (GDA) Step 2 submissions on its GDA website. The Environment Agency and the Office for Nuclear Regulation use the GDA process to scrutinise new nuclear power stations at an early stage.   GDA is an open and transparent process. Any nuclear power station design company, such as GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, going through GDA must set up a website to publish information about the design and update it as new information becomes available. It must also invite the public to ask questions and make comments. GE-Hitachi must respond to any comments or questions it receives. As regulators of the nuclear industry, we will see the comments and questions and the responses provided. We can use relevant information to help inform our assessment work. Our GE-Hitachi GDA manager Paula Atkin said: “We encourage anyone with an interest in nuclear power station designs and the environment to read these documents. They set out the beginnings of the environment, safety, security and safeguards case for the BWRX-300, which will be developed further as the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 project progresses. The Preliminary Environmental Report (PER) forms the basis for the Environment Agency’s assessment and covers topics such as Best Available Techniques, radioactive waste and discharges, and radiological impact assessment. However, we will also consider any relevant information in the Preliminary Safety Report (PSR)." The comments process is open throughout this GDA. It closes on 31 August 2025, about 4 months before the regulators issue their Step 2 Statements. Read the documents https://lnkd.in/eTvKmRHd #nuclear #EnvironmentalProtection

Sizewell C - construction site environmental permit applications Sizewell C has applied to the Environment Agency for the following permits: * NPS/WR/042962: Impoundment licence - to obstruct or impede the flow of water at the site of the realigned Sizewell Drain. * EPR/WB3145KB/A001: Construction water discharge activity permit - to allow the company to remove site drainage caused by rain from its construction of Sizewell Link Road. It is proposing 24 discharge points to remove rainfall related site drainage from construction activities along the route of the new road.  * EPR/VB3849KJ/A001: To allow the company to operate a temporary desalination plant to provide a private water supply to the construction site. The desalination plant generates wastewater to the North Sea via a long sea outfall. Short consultations on these applications can be found on our consultation website https://lnkd.in/eShhHHwW Construction site activities and associated developments are not unique to nuclear developments and are time limited, so we are processing the permit applications as we would for any construction site. This is a proportionate approach that will help us exercise the best regulatory control on rapidly changing construction activities. The Environment Agency makes sure that nuclear power stations meet our high standards of environmental protection. Any company that wants to build and operate a new nuclear power station must get site specific permissions from the nuclear regulators. We are responsible for issuing a range of environmental permits for: *site investigation and preparation *construction works and relevant associated developments *operating and decommissioning the nuclear power station These permits cover activities such as: *radioactive substances *cooling water discharges *operating back-up generators *site investigation works such as drilling boreholes *abstracting groundwater for dewatering in order to carry out ground investigations *discharging treated effluents and sewage *mobile diesel electricity generators Photo shows some of our Sizewell C area team who regularly visit the site. #nuclear #environmentalprotection

Our equality, inclusion and diversity lead for nuclear, Saffron Price-Finnerty, joined the REiN UK (Racial Equality in Nuclear UK) Roundtable in Manchester this week. The group discussed and acknowledged the nuclear sector challenges, shared best practice, guidance and advice, and considered attraction and retention when devising strategies and plans to improve race equality. Saffron met with Emin Veron who presented for REIN and talked about what the organisation can do for the sector. Saffron said: “This event enabled me to share the Environment Agency's best practices and learn from other organisations. The discussions will help inform REIN priorities, and we agreed that it is essential to work collectively together across the sector on delivering race equality and formulate plans to improve the status quo across the nuclear.” Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear

On Monday our Sellafield team leader joined the 'Sellafield Ltd & Nuclear Restoration Services - Investment in skills to support the nuclear industry and beyond' event at the Nuclear Industry Association's #NuclearWeek in Parliament. The event, hosted by Josh MacAlister MP, enabled us to share how the Environment Agency is investing in skills and to talk about the success of our graduates in the Nuclear Graduates programme. #nuclear #RegulatingRadioactiveSubstances

The Environment Agency, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency are consulting on proposals to update the guidance on how we regulate near surface and geological disposal facilities. The draft guidance we are consulting on consists of: • Disposal facilities for solid radioactive waste: guidance on the requirements for authorisation (GRA) • Guidance on staged regulation The consultation on the draft GRA applies to England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency, will run a separate consultation on a version of the GRA for Scotland from 10 February 2025. The consultation on the staged regulation guidance is for England only. Thank you to everyone that joined our online consultation event on 21 January. We look forward to receiving your consultation responses. Respond online https://lnkd.in/eWrNNrCt #Nuclear #RadioactiveWaste

We have two roles as an Advisor (Nuclear Specialist) in either our Radioactive Substances Regulation Business Team or our Advanced Nuclear Technologies team in Energy and Resources in the national Environment & Business (E&B) Directorate. Closing date 9 February 2025 https://lnkd.in/eQZau7q6 #nuclearjobs #nuclearcareers #nuclear

The Environment Agency is a proud sponsor of the Nuclear Graduates programme. Hear from Ian Streatfield below and read more about the programme on the nuclear graduates website https://lnkd.in/eQ5G8nHh #NuclearGraduates

Our first conference of the year is once again the Nuclear Waste Services Research Support Office annual event. And this year it’s at the M-Shed in Bristol. The Environment Agency’s Nuclear Regulation Group was represented by new recruit Rebecca Lindsey-Halls who has recently joined our Nuclear Waste Assessment Team. The conference showcases the breadth and quality of research enabled by the Nuclear Waste Services Research Support Office (NWS RSO) and gives early career researchers an opportunity to network together and with the wider nuclear industry. Rebecca presented a poster on her PhD research ‘The effect of curing temperature on Nirex Reference Vault Backfill cement’ which was funded by the NWS RSO at the University of Strathclyde. Rebecca said: “It’s good to hear about how research for the GDF programme is progressing, topics of focus, and the different discipline updates that underpin the NWS RSO.” #GeologicalDisposal #ResearchAndDevelopment #nuclear Nuclear Waste Services Nuclear Graduates

Consultation webinar: Guidance on solid radioactive waste disposal The UK environment agencies are updating the joint guidance on solid radioactive waste disposal to land (guidance on the requirements for authorisation (GRA)).  The Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are hosting a webinar on 21 January from 15:00 – 16:30 to explain what the consultations cover, how and why the guidance has been updated and how you can respond to the consultations. The consultation on guidance on the requirements for authorisation and staged regulation for the disposal of solid radioactive waste applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland and runs from 12 November 2024 to 28 February 2025.  https://lnkd.in/eWrNNrCt SEPA will launch a consultation in Scotland shortly. To register for our webinar email us by 20 January. #nuclear #radioactivewaste #consultation