Nuclear powerLife of U.K. nuclear power plants extended

U.K.s Hinkley Point power station to receive and extended life approval // Source: commons.wikimedia.org

U.K. operator EDF Energy has announced it will extend the expected operating life of two of its nuclear power stations by seven years.

Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B power stations are now expected to remain operational until at least 2023, generating enough electricity for around two million homes. The decision follows the five year extensions to Heysham 1 and Hartlepool announced in 2010 and come after extensive reviews of the plants’ safety cases and continuing work with the independent nuclear regulator.

The company says that extending the life of the stations is good news for more than 1,500 employees and contractors at the two plants in Somerset and North Ayrshire. It will help maintain skills in the U.K. nuclear industry, and give the United Kingdom secure energy at a time when much generating capacity is due to close.

The announcement was made as EDF Energy CEO Vincent de Rivaz re-opened the Visitor Center for Hinkley Point B in nearby Bridgwater — part of an initiative to make the nuclear industry more open and accessible for local communities.

He said: “This decision will provide low carbon energy to keep the lights on in the U.K. and it will safeguard jobs at the plants, in the U.K. nuclear industry and its supply chain. It follows a thorough review of safety over the lifetime of each of the plants.

“We continue to invest £300 million each year on capital expenditure in the nuclear fleet, and we spend

an additional £350 million on plant operations with 90 percent of the total being spent in the U.K. 

”Extending the plants’ lives also brings significant training and employment opportunities for a new generation of nuclear engineers and operators as we seek to develop the U.K.’s position as a primary source for skills and expertise in the industry.

“Life extension does not replace the need for new low carbon generation. Even as we agree to extend the life of our existing plants, we are moving forward with plans to create the next generation of nuclear

power stations.”

Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B employ seventy-three apprentices, with around twenty new apprentices joining the scheme each year. This program will continue throughout the extended lives of both stations. 1,500 plus people are employed at Hunterston and Hinkley, including 200 full-time contract staff at each site.

EDF Energy expects an average of 7-year life extensions across all its Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor stations and a 20-year extension for Sizewell B, the only Pressurized Water Reactor in the United Kingdom.  This would increase the amount of CO2 avoided by 340 million tons. This is equivalent to removing all the cars from U.K. roads for nearly five years.

Alongside the life extension announcement, EDF Energy has also re-opened its visitor center for Hinkley Point B in nearby Bridgwater town center. The company says the center will give local people and others the opportunity to see for themselves how the station operates.

“We have always committed to operating openly and transparently,” de Rivaz said. “Following the events at Fukushima, the Chief Nuclear Inspector recommended that the nuclear industry look at ways to ensure more trusted, open and transparent relationships with the public and other stakeholders. We pledged to

implement his recommendations in full and the decision to reopen this visitor center is proof of our commitment.”