ONR-NGO Forum Virtual Meeting Update - November 2023

1. ONR NGO Forum Virtual Meeting 16 November 2023

2. Welcome / introductions and matters arising Dr Jill Sutcliffe, NGO Co-chair Rachel Grant, ONR Co-chair (ONR Director of Policy and Communications)

3. Update from ONR Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector Mark Foy

4. Update from ONR Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector CNI annual report – key findings - ONR board changes - Key international activities - Ethics update – UKHSA meeting - Flooding concerns at the Rolls-Royce Raynesway site/SZC concerns - GDF -

5. Update on siting since our last meeting Rachel Grant, ONR Co-chair

6. Refreshment break

7. Update on HPC construction, SZC, Taishan and GDA activities Shane Turner Superintending Inspector Head of Nuclear Safety Regulation - Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C

8. Hinkley Point C update • Project at peak civil engineering and will move into a significant installation and start of early commissioning phase in the next year Key ONR focus • Nuclear site health and safety • Quality of construction, manufactured components, and installation activities • Projects readiness for the next phases including changes in risk profile • Delivering inspection programme, focused on matters that are novel, complex, higher risk and/or based on intelligence Upcoming permissioning • Unit 1 containment dome lift • Release of first steam generators from the factory in France • Installation of unit 1 reactor pressure vessel • Start of early commissioning • •

9. Sizewell C update Nuclear Site Licence (NSL) assessment • Assessment and inspections currently ongoing • Aim to make an NSL grant decision by the end of April 2024 • Key matters being considered: • Resolution of shareholder agreement constraints and project governance • Security of land tenure over the site • Further development of the applicant’s organisational structure and capability • Further site and hazard characterisation studies • Development of emergency arrangements • Establishment of arrangements for compliance with licence conditions and other statutory requirements (e.g. Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015) Other areas of interest • Ground preparation and early engineering design activities • Activities on site in the period post any NSL grant

10. EPR fuel and core experience Key Taishan experience • Fuel failures detected in Taishan unit 1 during cycle 2 • Flow rate fluctuations • Clad oxidation • Fuel assembly grid wear Current status of Taishan reactors (position in October 2023) • Unit 1 in outage since late January 2023 (after cycle 2) • Unit 2 operational (cycle 3) Olkiluoto 3 • Started commercial operation (cycle 1) in mid-April 2023

11. EPR fuel and core experience – current position • ONR is continuing engagement with other nuclear regulators • The last meeting was in October 2023 We are having regular engagement with NNB on its response to the Taishan fuel and core experience There is a good understanding of the direct causes of the phenomena Proposals have been made by NNB to modify the fuel assembly design: • Resistant to the direct causes of the fuel failures (radiation induced stress corrosion cracking of the fuel assembly grid springs) Other options are being explored, including a flow distribution device, to address the flow rate fluctuations • No decision yet made whether further modifications are needed or within what timescale Based on the engagement to date ONR is confident NNB understands and is adequately addressing the operational experience, and a suitable safety justification can be made • • • • •

12. EPR fuel and core experience – next steps • • Continue engagement with other regulators and NNB NNB producing safety case to justify fuel assembly modifications before start of fuel assembly manufacturing: • This will be subject to detailed assessment by ONR specialist inspectors Fuel delivery to site and fuel load will be permissioned activities As part of our permissioning, focus will be on: • NNB has fully understood all the Taishan fuel and core operational experience • Any necessary modifications have been implemented • The reactor is safe to operate • •

13. Generic Design Assessment update • Rolls-Royce SMR • Currently undergoing GDA – in step 2 • Step 2 scheduled to complete in summer 2024 Great British Nuclear competition • Aiming to identify which SMR technologies HMG should support the development of • Short list of six companies recently announced • RR SMR, Holtec, GE Hitachi, Westinghouse, NuScale, EDF • GBN expected to pick two companies to support with funding to take forward • GBN is also expected to identify specific sites for the selected technologies ONR is anticipating commencing two further GDAs in the near future • Requesting Party funding for these GDAs is dependent on the outcome of the government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund competition • •

14. Update on recently concluded climate change workshops Katy Attwater, Stop Hinkley Rachel Grant, ONR Co-chair

15. Update on ONR’s strategy 2025-2030 – how can NGOs get involved? Rachel Grant, ONR Co-chair

16. New ONR website – NGO user feedback request Rachel Grant, ONR Co-chair

17. Any other business All

18. Summary and close Dr Jill Sutcliffe, NGO Co-chair Rachel Grant, ONR Co-chair