The VDR is divided into three phases, each requiring increasingly more detailed technical information:
• Phase 1: Compliance with regulatory requirements. The conceptual design is expected to be completed and described. For a discrete set of focus areas, CNSC staff assess how the vendor's design processes demonstrate intent to meet CNSC requirements.
• Phase 2: Identification of potential fundamental barriers to licensing. Subsequent to Phase 1, this phase goes into further detail, with a focus on identifying whether there are any potential fundamental barriers to licensing.
• Phase 3: A follow-up to Phase 2. This phase focuses on a more detailed review of selected focus areas identified by the vendor that pertain to a license to construct.

There are several nuclear reactor designs that have completed pre-licensing reviews.

Completed vendor pre-licensing vendor design reviews
Note: Due to the commercially sensitive and proprietary information in the full report, the CNSC is only able to post the Executive Summaries.

For any detailed information concerning the results of a VDR, please contact the associated vendor.