OREANDA-NEWS. Wood has secured a framework agreement to provide technical assistance for a project to build a new nuclear power station in the UK.

Effective immediately, the company is supporting General Nuclear System Limited (GNS), a joint venture between China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) and EDF Energy, as it seeks preliminary regulatory assessment of the UKHPR1000 reactor proposed for Bradwell in Essex.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency are currently conducting a Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of the UKHPR1000 reactor.

Bob MacDonald, CEO of Wood’s Specialist Technical Solutions business, said: “This agreement advances our strategy to secure a key position in every UK nuclear new build. It also cements our role as a key partner in delivering the GDA for the UK HPR1000 reactor.

“Our role is to ensure that the developers have the right support to fully address the safety and environmental requirements of UK nuclear regulation, which is among the most stringent in the world. CGN brings valuable experience of China’s new build programme, which is the largest in the world.

“We are proud to be working on this project, which is breaking new ground for international co-operation in the nuclear industry.”

Wood began working with CGN nearly four years ago and has helped to produce a number of key documents for submission to UK regulators in relation to Bradwell, including the GDA Preliminary Safety Report, the GDA Pre-Construction Safety Report and the GDA Pre-Construction Environmental Report.

The Bradwell project will also have to complete extensive investigative works and public consultations before any planning or nuclear site licence application can be considered.

Wood has played a key role in the design and build of every civil nuclear power station in the UK. It has supported successful GDA and other consent applications for the UK EPR now being built at Hinkley Point C and proposed for Sizewell C, the UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor proposed for Wylfa on Anglesey and Oldbury, and the UK AP1000 reactor.