Memories of Chernobyl, Windscale and Three Mile Island, are a constant reminder for some, of what could go wrong in the nuclear industry.
While some still live with the consequences of Chernobyl, those hoping to invest in new nuclear power promise such incidents will never happen again.
The Health and Safety Executive, along with the Environment Agency, run the Generic Design Assessment, a three to four year process, where every aspect of potential designs is assessed and critiqued before permission to build is granted.
In a recent interview for the HSE website, Kevin Allars, director of New Nuclear Build at HSE tried to reassure people that new nuclear would be safe.
He said: "What we have in the nuclear directorate (the NII) is some very technically able people who can assess the safety, security and environmental side of nuclear power. We've got quite a good record in this country on nuclear power.
"What we'll do is use those same people, our principles and our experience to look at the new nuclear power stations and do the same thing with the generic design those people are putting in front of us."
The GDA, a partnership between the HSE and the Environment Agency is expected to be completed in June 2011, and has just begun its final stage.
Environmental concerns
The Environment Agency tries to ensure that the nuclear power plants have the smallest possible impact on habitats.
Some, however, believe not enough is being done to protect wildlife. Joan Girling from opposition group Suffolk Cane, objects to the plans at Sizewell because of the impact it may have on the local species.
She said: "I'm very concerned, just at the moment EDF have been doing surveys on what is known as Sizewell belts, it's very high ecological ground, they're looking to relocate species, particularly reptiles.
"They're trying to recreate habitats, but as far as I'm concerned if there are reptiles that need to be relocated then the only way to protect them is to leave them where they are and to give them space to grow."
Security Concerns
Security has also become a concern as nuclear power stations could become terror targets or proliferation of nuclear material could be used to make future weapons.
Kate Hudson from CND UK said: "It may be a remote chance but nevertheless it is something which does present a danger. We don't know how things are going to develop in the next few years or decades."
However the GDA process hopes to take these new threats into consideration and any new build of plant will not only have to live up to all the normal expectations of safety and security but will also now have to withstand collision with a passenger aircraft.
