CORRECTED-China-designed UK nuclear reactor plan clears third assessment stage - regulator

(Corrects name to General Nuclear System in paragraph 2)

LONDON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The first Chinese-designed atomic reactor for use in Britain moved a step closer to fruition on Thursday as the UK nuclear regulator said it had completed the third stage of the four stage assessment of the technology.

General Nuclear System, an industrial partnership between China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN) <IPO-CGNP.HK> and French utility EDF, hopes to use the design at a nuclear plant planned to be built in Essex, eastern England.

Britain's Office for Nuclear Regulation said the HPR 1000 reactor design will now move to the fourth stage of its Generic Design Assessment. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale; Editing by Edmund Blair)