Notice of decision on licence to prepare a site for naval nuclear propulsion facility in the Obsorne designated zone.
On 12 June 2026, ANNPSR issued a licence to the Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd (ANI) to prepare a site for a naval nuclear propulsion facility at the Osborne Nuclear-Powered Submarine Construction Yard (NPSCY) in South Australia.
A licence to prepare a site authorises early site preparation, which may include piling and ground works to be carried out within a designated zone.
The licence to prepare a site is the first stage of the facility licensing process and, under the ANNPS Act, authorises ANI to undertake site preparation activities.
The licensing of a naval nuclear propulsion facility is a staged process, with separate licence applications and regulatory approvals required for each stage of the facility lifecycle.
On 16 December 2025, ANNPSR received an application from ANI to prepare a site for a naval nuclear propulsion facility at the Osborne NPSCY.
In accordance with its regulatory requirements, ANNPSR formally notified the public on 16 January 2026 that it had received the application.
- ANNPSR conducted a six month assessment, supported by technical regulatory and nuclear facility expertise provided by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).
- All aspects of the application were assessed against the requirements of the ANNPS Act and the ANNPS Regulations, which also included international best practice relevant to naval nuclear propulsion.
On 12 June 2026, ANNPSR issued a licence to prepare a site to ANI to prepare a site for a naval nuclear propulsion facility, having determined that the applicant was capable of complying with the licence conditions and all other requirements prescribed in the ANNPS Act and the ANNPS Regulations.
The licence to prepare a site forms one element of the broader regulatory and approvals framework for the Osborne NPSCY.
Other relevant approvals included planning approval granted by the South Australian Minister for Planning in December 2025, and approvals under the 2026 under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. These decisions were publicly notified through the relevant channels and websites.
