The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has approved the installation of the Unit 2 Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) at Hinkley Point C (HPC) in a much quicker time through its flexible permissioning approach.
The RPV is one of the most critical components in a nuclear power station, serving as the high-strength steel container that houses the reactor core, nuclear fuel and coolant.
As a high integrity component, its safe installation requires rigorous oversight — making the speed and efficiency of the approvals process particularly important.
Mahtab Khan, ONR’s Head of Regulation at Hinkley Point C:
For Unit 2, our inspectors were able to apply a flexible permissioning approach, using our confidence in the licensee’s arrangements from Unit 1 installation, which meant that we were able to complete the necessary readiness inspection and granting permission within a much shorter space of time.
Mahtab Khan, ONR’s Head of Regulation at Hinkley Point C, said: “When the equivalent activity was carried out for Unit 1 in November 2024, we used our primary powers to grant consent, which was a more lengthy process, reflecting the complexity of the task, the first RPV installation in over 30 years in the UK and the importance of the component to nuclear safety.”
“For Unit 2, our inspectors were able to apply a flexible permissioning approach, using our confidence in the licensee’s arrangements from Unit 1 installation, which meant that we were able to complete the necessary readiness inspection and granting permission within a much shorter space of time.
“This process reflects both our forward-looking approach to learning and developing from previous activity, and our commitment to proportionate, risk-informed regulation that avoids unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication while maintaining the highest safety standards.
“Looking ahead, our teams are already set-up to ensure that all relevant learning from HPC is transferred to our regulation of Sizewell C – an identical twin reactor, EPR site under construction in Suffolk”.
The single readiness inspection examined the adequacy of lifting and installation arrangements, the condition of the RPV in storage, the readiness of the reactor building to receive the component, and, crucially found that improvements had been made across a range of areas.
The inspection was rated Green, with no shortfalls identified and inspectors noting several areas of good practice.
The streamlined approach reflects ONR’s ongoing commitment to ensure that regulatory processes support the timely delivery of critical infrastructure while ensuring safety and security — and signals that lessons learned from the first unit at HPC are already delivering tangible benefits as construction progresses.