As the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) today signs a refreshed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), regulators have announced a new initiative to streamline regulation and accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors across UK and US markets.
Signed by Mike Finnerty, ONR’s Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector, and David Wright, the NRC’s Chairman, the MoU reaffirms the agreement signed in 2020 to cooperate closely and exchange technical information as the two countries move towards the deployment of safe and secure nuclear technologies globally.
Supported by the MoU, ONR and the Environment Agency, alongside the NRC, have also announced a new collaborative initiative that will:
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Cut duplication and fast-track decisions: Targeting reactor design reviews within two years, and nuclear site licensing within one year. The Environment Agency will explore accelerating site permitting.
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Share the regulatory load: Regulators will lead on specific aspects of reviews and mutually recognise each other’s assessment, with appropriate due diligence to ensure legal compliance and retain independent decision-making.
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Accelerate second-jurisdiction reviews: Where one regulator has already assessed a design, the second regulator will maximise acceptance of assessment of completed work to avoid duplication and speed up deployment.
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Focus on technologies that are already in licensing, or ready to enter the process in the UK and/or the US.
This initiative reflects a shared commitment to regulatory excellence, enabling safe, efficient, and timely deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies.
This cooperation will be further enabled through a refreshed MoU, signed today by ONR and NRC.
Mike Finnerty, ONR’s Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector, said: “The opportunities presented through the refreshed Memorandum of Understanding, and new collaborative way of working outlined in the partnership agreement clearly reaffirm our shared commitment to effective, safe and secure nuclear operations.
“We have had a strong relationship with US counterparts for many years, and we look forward to developing greater collaboration to optimise the collective regulatory efforts in the best interests of our two nations.
“We will also continue to work with industry, through routes such as our early engagement framework to enhance early understanding of regulatory expectations, further enabling timely deployment."
David A. Wright, Chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said: "We are taking our long-standing partnership with UK’s Office of Nuclear Regulation to the next level and redoubling our joint efforts to advance, enable, and deploy nuclear technologies for the future."
Philip Duffy, the Environment Agency's Chief Executive, said: “We support clean energy generation that is safe, secure, and protects the environment, including nuclear power.
“This new agreement provides the critical opportunity to increase the effectiveness, efficiency, and timeliness of our reactor design assessments.
“We look forward to working more closely with our colleagues in the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Office for Nuclear Regulation, building on our existing Memorandums of Understanding.”