Company says LFR-AS-200 is first advanced reactor slated to start review
European nuclear technology company Newcleo said its advanced lead-cooled LFR-AS-200 reactor design has been accepted for the UK’s generic design assessment (GDA) regulatory process.
The GDA process, overseen by the UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency, is designed to evaluate the safety and environmental acceptability of new nuclear designs. It is part of pre-licensing activities and is not site-specific.
Newcleo applied for the GDA in December 2024, while in April 2024, the UK-based Nuclear Industry Association applied for a justification decision for Newcleo’s reactor design, making it the first new reactor design submitted for consideration in the country for almost a decade and the first ever for an advanced reactor.
Justification is a regulatory process which requires a government decision before any new class or type of practice involving ionising radiation can be introduced in the UK.
At the time, Newlceo said the GDA application had built on the regulatory justification application and followed 18 months of technical discussions with French and international regulators about safety options for the LFR and its MOX (mixed-oxide) fuel manufacturing plant.
Newcleo said on Tuesday (10 June) that it has now become the first company to have an advanced modular reactor design accepted for a GDA review.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has confirmed the move, which will allow regulators to begin a detailed review of the 200 MWe lead-cooled fast reactor design’s safety, environmental impact, engineering feasibility, and acceptability for deployment in the UK.
The GDA process is expected to take around two years to complete, but the start date is to be agreed with the UK regulator, according to Newcleo.
This acceptance highlights the progress Newcleo has made in advancing its UK project, alongside significant progress in its research, development, and reactor design efforts, said Newcleo.
The company, which employs over 150 staff in the UK and more than 1,200 across 19 European locations, is currently assessing several potential sites for deployment, including in the UK.
The GDA acceptance is seen as a milestone step for reactor developers seeking to establish a foothold in the UK reactor market.
Andrew Murdoch, Newcleo’s managing director in the UK, said the company achieved the GDA acceptance without receiving any public funding.
Stefano Buono, founder and chief executive of Newcleo, welcomed the recent announcement by the UK government of state funding for nuclear power projects, including large-scale at Sizewell C and small modular reactors.
“We are particularly encouraged by the support for private sector-led projects and the potential for routes for future investment,” he said.
Newcleo’s LFR technology is designed to operate with recycled nuclear fuel, offering the promise of greater sustainability and reduced waste in nuclear energy production.
The company wants to deploy a smaller 30-MW version of its LFR design as a demonstrator plant in France in the early 2030s.
