UK Regulators Initiate Generic Design Assessment for Xe-100 Reactor

The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process has officially begun for X-energy's Xe-100 advanced modular reactor in the United Kingdom. This decision comes one year after Centrica and X-energy Reactor, a subsidiary of X-energy LLC, signed a Joint Development Agreement to deploy Xe-100 advanced modular reactors in the UK. The companies have identified the Hartlepool site, owned by EDF and Centrica, as the preferred location for the first of a planned UK fleet, which could total up to 6 GWe.

The GDA is a voluntary process where the UK's nuclear regulators—the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), Environment Agency, and Natural Resources Wales—evaluate the safety, security, and environmental aspects of new reactor designs intended for deployment in Great Britain. This assessment is separate from site-specific applications. Successful completion of the three-step GDA results in a Design Acceptance Confirmation from the ONR and a Statement of Design Acceptability from the Environment Agency. The ONR stated that the GDA will proceed once necessary arrangements regarding timescales and resources are finalized.

X-energy UK Holding Ltd is also engaged in a Tier 3 Preliminary Design Review with UK regulators, focusing on specific aspects of the Xe-100 design. X-energy submitted its application for GDA entry in June. The GDA process, expected to take approximately three years, formally initiates the assessment of the design's suitability for deployment and operation, preceding the technical and environmental evaluations required for site-specific licensing and permitting.

The submission is anticipated to leverage the Xe-100's licensing progress in the USA and benefit from increased collaboration between UK regulators and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This collaboration aims to integrate NRC-reviewed design documentation and safety analyses into the UK design reviews. The NRC has been involved in pre-application activities with X-energy since September 2018.

Over the past year, the partners have conducted early project activities, including formal Early Engagement with UK nuclear regulators and the submission and acceptance of the Xe-100 into the GDA process. They have also submitted a proposal for inclusion in the UK Government's Advanced Nuclear Pipeline, a register of privately led advanced nuclear projects in England or Wales deemed mature and credibly deliverable in the UK, subject to regulatory and government approvals. The results of this submission are expected soon.

X-energy CEO Clay Sell highlighted the company's progress in fleet-scale deployment across the Atlantic, emphasizing the importance of a strong regulatory foundation for efficiency from the first project to a full commercial fleet. Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea noted the partnership's progress, stating that deploying advanced nuclear technology at scale, with up to 6GW of new capacity across the UK, will enhance energy security, create economic value, and generate skilled jobs. The partnership has engaged specialist firms for site studies and planning, and has collaborated with local bodies in Hartlepool to support workforce development and training, including the launch of a new Nuclear and Electrical Trades Academy.

The Xe-100 is a Generation IV advanced reactor design, producing 80 MW of electricity or 200 MW thermal. A standard 'four-pack' configuration can achieve a total power output of 320 MWe, scalable to up to 12 units per site. The reactor uses tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel, which offers safety benefits due to its high-temperature resistance without melting, and can provide both electricity and process heat. X-energy is also developing its initial Xe-100 plant in the USA with Dow Inc. on the Texas Gulf Coast, and another plant with Energy Northwest in collaboration with Amazon, planning up to 12 units near Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station in Washington State.

Kishau Multipurpose Project Agreement Signed After Eight-Year Delay

The Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement was signed on Tuesday, marking the resolution of a water dispute that had stalled the project for more than eight years. The project involves the construction of a 232.6-meter-high concrete gravity dam on the Tons River, which flows along the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border. This dam will have a water storage capacity of 1,562 million cubic meters.

The project is designed to generate 1,476 million units of clean hydropower and irrigate 97,000 hectares of land. The estimated cost of the project was approximately Rs 15,000 crore. The Centre will bear about 90 percent of the financial burden, with the remaining 10 percent covered by participating states, in accordance with a 1994 agreement.

European Investment Bank Funds Steady Energy's SMR Development

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has made its initial investment in small modular reactor (SMR) technology, providing a senior unsecured convertible loan to Steady Energy. This funding is designated for Steady Energy's research and development, testing, and licensing efforts from 2026 to 2028, as the company progresses towards commercial deployment.

This investment marks a shift for the EIB, which has historically focused on nuclear-related safety projects. In recent years, the bank has expanded its nuclear sector involvement, including loans for a Romanian reactor refurbishment and an extension project at the Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant in southern France.

The EIB's support for Steady Energy is consistent with the European Commission's strategy to introduce Europe's first SMRs by the early 2030s. The bank stated its commitment to a technology-neutral approach that supports the European Union's decarbonization goals, energy supply security, and competitiveness.

Steady Energy, a spin-off from Finland's VTT Technical Research Centre in 2023, is developing the LDR-50 SMR. This reactor has a thermal output of 50 MW and is designed to operate at approximately 150°C. Unlike many SMRs under development globally, the LDR-50 is exclusively designed for heat production, targeting applications such as district heating, industrial steam generation, and desalination.

Steady Energy has already secured agreements for 15 reactors in Finland. The Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) is currently assessing the LDR-50 design. In June 2025, STUK's draft concept assessment indicated that the LDR-50's nuclear and radiation safety, security, emergency, and nuclear material safeguards solutions could be designed to meet safety requirements. The company aims to begin construction of its first plant, intended for a district heating scheme, in 2029.