GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) design has been certified by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), after a nine-year review process. "The commission's action acknowledges the finding by NRC staff that the ESBWR design meets all safety and regulatory requirements," GEH said. The ESBWR is a 4500 MWt (1594 MWe) reactor, which uses natural circulation for normal operation and has passive safety features. GEH submitted its application for ESBWR certification to the NRC in August 2005; NRC issued a final safety evaluation report (FSER) and final design approval for the ESBWR in March 2011, but later supplemented the draft certification rule in May 2014 to account for changes in analysis of the design's steam dryer. The NRC said it received no comments on the supplemental rule.
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