UK-based small modular reactor developer Rolls-Royce SMR has completed Step 2 of the country’s generic design assessment (GDA) and will move immediately into the third and final step.

Rolls-Royce SMR said in a statement on 30 July that the announcement confirms its position ahead of any other SMR in Europe.

The company said it will further exploit this significant advantage by moving immediately to Step 3, which involves “detailed assessment” of the SMR design.

The GDA process is run by the UK nuclear industry’s independent regulators – the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales.