title: "NPS EN-7 - Nuclear Power Generation" type: wiki source: primary-source canonical: ~/knowledge/sources/desnz/nps-en-7.md url: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-policy-statement-for-nuclear-energy-generation-en-7 date: 2025-12-18 tags: [nps, nuclear, nsip, smr, amr, site-assessment, desnz, onr, planning]
NPS EN-7 - National Policy Statement for Nuclear Energy Generation
Designated 18 December 2025. Issued by DESNZ. Supersedes EN-6 (2011). Covers nuclear fission infrastructure at or above the 50MW NSIP threshold in England and Wales.
EN-7 replacing EN-6: the key shift
EN-6 (2011) operated on a closed list of eight pre-approved sites: Bradwell, Hartlepool, Heysham, Hinkley Point, Oldbury, Sellafield, Sizewell, Wylfa. No other sites could proceed through the NSIP NPS framework.
EN-7 (2025) replaces the closed list with a criteria-based site assessment approach. Any site in England and Wales can be brought forward for a DCO provided it meets the siting criteria. The eight EN-6 sites retain explicit advantages (existing grid connections, sufficient land) and EN-6 remains a relevant consideration for DCO applications at those sites, but they are no longer exclusive.
The practical effect: SMRs and AMRs can now be sited on inland or non-traditional locations through the NPS framework, opening up the planning regime to technologies that do not require the same coastal/estuarine characteristics as large legacy stations.
Site assessment criteria
EN-7 organises assessment into three tiers:
Tier 1: Factors Influencing Site Selection (s.2.7)
Used to eliminate unsuitable locations before design begins.
| Criterion | Key requirement |
|---|---|
| Population density (SUPDC) | Reactor must satisfy Semi-Urban Population Density Criterion; HSE (not ONR) provides written confirmation for DCO purposes |
| Military proximity | Refusal if site falls within MATZ/ATZ, military training areas, or explosives safeguarding zones; higher risk within 3km of MOD site |
| Flooding | Must demonstrate protection through full lifecycle including credible maximum climate change scenario; Sequential Test applies |
| Coastal/landform change | Must not increase coastal erosion risk elsewhere; protection through full lifecycle |
| Major hazard proximity | ONR advice on hazardous substances consent; risks to and from nuclear infrastructure assessed |
| Civil aircraft/spacecraft | Restricted Area (2nm radius, 2000ft) around all nuclear sites; spacecraft/spaceports may trigger more stringent restrictions |
| Biodiversity/geological conservation | EN-1 designated site protections; biodiversity net gain required |
| Visual amenity and heritage | Mitigation hierarchy applied; visual impacts cannot be fully eliminated |
| Site size | Must accommodate generation, associated development, waste storage, and mitigation land |
| Cooling access | Direct wet (coastal/estuarine), recirculating wet, dry, or hybrid - SMRs/AMRs may use dry or hybrid enabling inland sites |
Tier 2: Technical Considerations (s.2.8)
Applied at design stage once site is selected.
- Seismic hazards - full assessment of seismic risk, capable faulting, ground instability, proximity to mining; mitigation must cover full lifecycle
- Emergency planning - ONR assesses at DCO stage; Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations 2019 apply
- Meteorological conditions - resilience to extreme weather events and climate change through full lifecycle
- Transmission infrastructure - liaison with NESO; must be in place or secured through DCO; EN-5 cross-reference
Tier 3: Impacts (s.2.9)
Mitigation hierarchy applied to residual impacts from the selected site.
- Flood risk, water quality, coastal change, biodiversity, visual amenity/heritage, socioeconomic, human health/radiation, traffic/transport
Dual consent model
Two parallel regulatory processes must be concluded concurrently:
- Development Consent Order (DCO) - Planning Act 2008 NSIP regime, Secretary of State determination
- Nuclear Site Licence (NSL) - Nuclear Installations Act 1965, granted by ONR
Neither process can substitute for the other. The Examining Authority should not delay DCO advice because NSL is outstanding, provided Nuclear Regulators have no reason to believe the NSL will be refused. Secretary of State should not refuse DCO on grounds that NSL is outstanding unless there is good reason to believe it will not be granted.
Generic Design Assessment (GDA): Voluntary ONR/EA assessment of reactor designs, typically 2-4 years. Not required for DCO but strongly encouraged pre-application.
The nuclear pipeline
| Project | Status at EN-7 designation |
|---|---|
| Hinkley Point C (HPC) | Under construction; 3.2GW; EDF Energy |
| Sizewell C (SZC) | Pre-DCO application; government stake via Great British Nuclear |
| Rolls-Royce SMR | Selected by GBN 2023; target first deployment early 2030s; no site confirmed |
| Wylfa (Wylfa Newydd) | EN-6 listed; Horizon/Hitachi withdrew 2021; revival discussions ongoing |
| Other EN-6 sites | Oldbury, Bradwell, Hartlepool, Heysham, Sellafield - varying discussion stages |
Key legislation and cross-references
- Planning Act 2008 - NSIP regime and DCO process
- Nuclear Installations Act 1965 - NSL requirement
- Energy Act 2013 - ONR establishment
- Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 - Regulatory Justification (Justifying Authority: SoS DEFRA)
- Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations 2019 - Emergency planning
- SI 2007 No.1929 - Restricted Areas around nuclear sites
- EN-1 (Overarching NPS, January 2024) - Critical National Priority; need case; generic impacts
- EN-5 (Electricity Networks NPS, 2024) - Transmission requirements
- NPS for Geological Disposal Infrastructure (July 2019) - GDF planning
- ONR NS-LUP-GD-001 - SUPDC methodology and thresholds
Analytical significance
The criteria-based shift is the defining feature of EN-7. By removing the closed list, DESNZ has: - Formally opened the NSIP regime to SMRs and AMRs at any qualifying location - Enabled inland deployment via dry/hybrid cooling criteria - Placed the siting burden on applicants and their regulators rather than on pre-designation government approval - Preserved EN-6 sites' practical advantages without granting them exclusive status
The SUPDC role transfer from ONR to HSE reflects the dual-track architecture: ONR remains the licensing authority while HSE provides the planning-stage population density check. Satisfying the SUPDC does not guarantee ONR approval of a site licence (para 2.7.8).