Monday 4 April 2011

Boiling water reactors not suitable for UK

The assessment of the economic simplified boiling water reactor (ESBWR) has not been re-introduced since it ceased in 2008 at the request of a suspension by GE-Hitachi.

The Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, Charles Hendry, said: "No boiling water reactor designs are currently being assessed for the UK.

"Regulators have recently assessed a number of reactor designs as part of their generic design assessment process. One design, the GE-Hitachi ESBWRis an evolution of earlier boiling water reactors."

In the wake of the Japanese nuclear disaster in March, the Secretary of State has asked the UK Chief Nuclear Inspector to provide an independent report to the Government.