Cottam SMR plans advance as regulators clear key safety hurdle
Plans to build a nuclear reactor on the site of a former coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire moved forward today, after receiving a sign-off from three government agencies.
Last year, energy firm Holtec, in partnership with EDF Energy and Tritax, announced £11bn plans to construct the SMR-300 small nuclear reactor at Cottam in Nottinghamshire.
The reactor forms part of a wider plan for regeneration of the former fossil fuel site, which saw its five historic cooling towers demolished in spectacular fashion last year to make way for a future clean energy hub, intended to power a new wave of advanced data centres.
Now, the Environment Agency, Office for Nuclear Regulation, and Natural Resources Wales say they have identified no fundamental safety, security or environmental protection issues with the design of the Holtec reactor, step two of a three-stage sign off for the technology.
Step two began in August 2024 and involved a comprehensive and rigorous regulatory assessment examining the fundamental adequacy of the reactor design and its safety, security, safeguards and environmental protection documentation.
A third-stage assessment will need to be signed off before the construction on the reactor can begin, although the government says Holtec have not asked for the assessment to be carried out at this stage,
Saffron Price-Finnerty, the Environment Agency’s New Reactors Programme Manager, said the assessment was an “important milestone” for the Cottam project.
“Based on our assessment across all topic areas, we have found no fundamental environmental protection shortfalls at this stage in the development of the SMR-300, that could prevent the design from being acceptable for future deployment in England or Wales,” she said.
Meanwhile Tim Parkes, Head of the Holtec SMR-300 assessment for the ONR, said the assessment has not identified “any fundamental shortfalls” across 21 technical areas.
“Throughout the GDA process, Holtec has demonstrated an open-minded and constructive approach that has been instrumental in enabling us to complete our assessment across all areas,” he said.
“Where aspects of the design, safety case, and methodologies require further development, these have been captured in 14 regulatory observations.
“Holtec has engaged positively with each of these observations, demonstrating a clear commitment to resolution. We are confident that their resolution plans, if implemented effectively, will address these observations and support a future design and safety case.”
