Since our last newsletter, we’ve continued to work at pace in this ever more dynamic operating environment as the government grows its ambitions for nuclear.
The ongoing regulatory taskforce review is a hugely significant project for the whole industry and we've really valued working closely with their team to provide regulatory expertise to their in-depth analysis of the strengths and challenges within the current regulatory framework.
Following the publication of last month's interim report, it was an excellent opportunity for the sector to digest the early taskforce findings, and through our continuing engagement, to help provide solutions that will form the basis of the final report in the autumn.
As always, ONR is committed to ensuring our regulation does not delay nuclear projects and we work hard to enable their safe delivery and reduce unnecessary regulatory burden and add value.
We were pleased to conclude the Chief Nuclear Inspector's themed inspection in July, which showed that continued work is needed by the industry to ensure sites remain resilient against the future effects of climate change, but that no fundamental shortfalls were identified that challenge robustness against future external hazards.
Our Annual Report and Accounts reflected on major organisational achievements within the past year including completing planned Generic Design Assessments steps for three separate reactor technologies, granting a nuclear site licence to Sizewell C and completing key work in support of critical nuclear defence projects, including innovative permissioning of submarine dockings to reduce timescales.
We have also made some important recent decisions on long running enforcement investigations with two prosecutions confirmed for the tragic worker fatality at Hinkley Point C, and separately, for the fall of a rebar mesh wall which left a signaller seriously injured at the same Somerset nuclear construction site.
This remains a key part of holding industry to account and our fundamental commitment to upholding strong safety standards within this high hazard sector.
As always, if you have any comments about ONR, any of the topics included in this newsletter, please get in touch via contact@onr.gov.uk.
Best wishes
Rachel Grant Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs | 
