Eight companies have been awarded places on the UK’s £8.7m ($11.4m) Nuclear Energy Regulatory Justification Services Framework, which is intended to assist the government in deploying new nuclear, including innovative designs such as small modular reactors (SMRs).
The Nuclear Energy Regulatory Justification Services Framework, run by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), provides expert technical advice on the regulatory justification of new nuclear energy technologies. It aims to ensure that the societal benefits of new nuclear technologies outweigh their risks and costs, a mandatory step before they can be deployed in the UK.
Purpose of the framework is:
- To provide independent, expert technical advice to the government’s Nuclear Justification Team;
- To support the regulatory process of determining whether the societal benefits of a new nuclear technology (e.g., carbon reduction, energy security) outweigh the potential health detriments; and
- To help the government make informed decisions on the deployment of new nuclear energy technologies,
The framework allows the government to access a pre-vetted pool of suppliers for specific analyses and technical advice. The appointed suppliers will conduct analyses, provide written reports, and give expert knowledge to help the government interpret technical data related to new nuclear energy technologies. This advice will inform recommendations to the Secretary of State on whether a particular new nuclear technology is justified.
The eight companies awarded a place on the framework are AFRY Solutions UK, Assystem Energy and Infrastructure, Egis UK, TUV SUD, Energy, Safety and Risk Consultants (UK), RSK Environment, Frazer-Nash and PA Consulting Services.
