Licensing

Before PALLAS’ construction can be started, a number of permissions, exemptions, licences and permits must be obtained from the government. Licensing therefore plays a dominant role in the planning up to the construction phase, that is during the licensable design phase.

Many laws, decrees, regulations, directives and plans are applicable to PALLAS’ construction and operation. The foremost of these are:

• Nuclear Energy Act (NEA) licence to establish and operate PALLAS
• Water permit for all direct water discharges
• Environmental permit for site-related activities, such as construction, installation and use.

A licensing plan has been drafted to identify all necessary permissions, exemptions, licences and permits, and to streamline the entire licence application process.

The three ‘foremost’ licences above will be applied for more or less simultaneously, so that the licensing procedure - from application to issue - will proceed in accordance with the public preparation procedure in the General Administrative Law Act.

Important parts of the NEA licence are the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Safety Report. The process for the EIA was started in 2009 with the submission of a Start Memorandum, and in 2010, the guidelines were stipulated by the former Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (this and other matters can be consulted at National Government).

Link: National Government: Licensing new research reactor PALLAS