The UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR), designed by Hitachi-GE, is suitable for construction in the UK, the Office for Nuclear Regulation has concluded.

Horizon is planning to build and operate two of the ABWRs, which will together provide at least 2700MW of power, at Wylfa in Anglesey, North Wales. The new project, called Wylfa Newydd, will be sited adjacent to a reactor at Wylfa that has now shut down. The new plant is expected to go into operation in the 2020s.

The project has still to win a Development Consent Order from National Infrastructure Planning. It is in pre-application phase and is expected to make a formal application by the end of March. It also has to obtain a site licence and that application has been made.

Horizon also plans to install two more ABWR units at Oldbury in Gloucestershire.

Duncan Hawthorne, Horizon CEO, said: “This is a huge milestone for Horizon and a major leap forward for us.” Tadashi Kume, president & representative director of Hitachi-GE, said: “completing GDA [Generic Design Assessment] within our five year target further demonstrates the strength of this project…

“Since 2012, we have been the subject of extensive assessment and scrutiny by the regulators. Throughout this process, their expertise and professionalism has been second to none. We now look forward to supporting Horizon’s ramp-up of site-specific licensing for Wylfa Newydd.”