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Rolls-Royce SMR has successfully completed Step 2 of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA), marking significant progress in deploying its small modular reactor design in the UK.
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The GDA process, conducted by the ONR, EA, and NRW, ensures the safety, security, and environmental standards of nuclear power plant designs.
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The Rolls-Royce SMR GDA is expected to complete by August 2026, with a final investment decision on selected designs anticipated in 2029.
The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design is making significant strides, having recently completed Step 2. This process, overseen by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Environment Agency (EA), and Natural Resources Wales (NRW), is crucial for evaluating the safety, security, and environmental protection aspects of nuclear power plant designs intended for deployment in Great Britain. A successful GDA culminates in the issuance of a Design Acceptance Confirmation from ONR and a Statement of Design Acceptability from EA.
In May 2021, the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) opened the GDA process to advanced nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Following this development, Rolls-Royce SMR Limited submitted a Notice of Intention to apply for GDA Entry for its SMR design in November 2021. The design, based on a small pressurised water reactor, was accepted for review in March 2022. Step 1 of the GDA began in April 2022, involving the agreement on the scope of the assessment based on information provided by Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd.
Step 2, the first substantive technical assessment phase, has now been successfully completed. This step built upon the scope and project arrangements agreed upon in Step 1. According to ONR, this achievement followed significant work by Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd and the regulators, resulting in the granting of Step 2 GDA statements for the first time since the modernised GDA process was launched. This milestone marks the beginning of Step 3, where the regulators will assess in more detail the evidence supporting the design claims made in the Step 2 submissions.
Rob Exley, Head of Generic Design Assessment at ONR, emphasized that the Rolls-Royce SMR GDA is pioneering in several respects. It is the first time regulators are assessing this reactor design to determine whether it meets stringent safety, security, safeguards, and environmental protection standards in Great Britain. Additionally, it is the first application of the modernised GDA process to an SMR design. ONR has expressed satisfaction with the progress made by Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd, allowing the regulators to proceed to Step 3.
Helena Perry, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Safety and Regulatory Affairs Director, highlighted the significance of completing Step 2, describing it as the most important milestone to date in advancing the deployment of Rolls-Royce SMRs in the UK. She noted the strong momentum built by the team and their readiness to move directly into Step 3, positioning the company well to deliver low-carbon nuclear power and support the UK’s transition to net-zero emissions.
The overall duration for the Rolls-Royce SMR GDA is anticipated to be 53 months, with completion expected in August 2026. The Rolls-Royce SMR design is one of six selected in October by Great British Nuclear for the UK’s SMR selection competition, and one of five vendors that submitted a bid by the 8 July deadline. A final investment decision on two or three of the designs is expected in 2029. In addition, the Nuclear Industry Association recently applied to the UK government for a justification decision for Rolls-Royce SMR’s small modular reactor, marking the first such application for a UK reactor design. This decision is essential for the operation of new nuclear technology in the country.
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