‘Major win’ for UK energy as four nuclear power plants granted extensions

EDF’S decision to extend the life of four nuclear power plants has been hailed as “a major win” for UK energy independence by energy secretary Ed Miliband.

French state-owned energy giant EDF, which operates all the UK’s online nuclear power stations, announced more lifetime extensions to the Hartlepool, Torness and Heysham 1 and 2 reactors at a board meeting on Tuesday.

The announcement comes after years of delays to Hinkley Point C, the nuclear power station currently under construction by EDF in Somerset, which is due to go online in 2029 at the earliest – four years later than originally planned when construction started in 2017. The delays have led to concerns of a future gap in the UK’s electricity generation.

Last month, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) predicted that gas-fired power stations will need to stay online past the government’s 2030 target for 100% renewable electricity generation. EDF said their latest decision will “boost energy security and reduce dependence on imported gas”.

The company also announced that they will be investing £1.3bn (US$.1.7) in their UK nuclear fleet, which also includes Sizewell B in Suffolk, not due for defueling until 2035.

The announcement means that Heysham 2, Lancashire, and Torness, East Lothian, will continue operating until March 2030. When both reactors began generation in 1988, they were expected to cease operating in 2018. Heysham 1 and the Hartlepool nuclear plant in Teesside, meanwhile, will operate until March 2027 – almost 20 years later than their planned closure dates.

Miliband described the extensions as a “major win for our energy independence”. He added: “We can’t achieve clean power by 2030 without nuclear, which provides an all-important steady supply of homegrown clean energy.” Fintan Slye, NESO chief executive, said that he welcomed the plant extensions.

Nuclear power plants typically run for about 40 years and their lifetimes are reviewed regularly. In 2016, EDF announced plans to extend Torness’ lifetime to 2030, but a subsequent discovery of cracks in graphite bricks in the reactor reduced this by two years.

Mark Hartley, EDF’s nuclear operations managing director, said the extensions were “testament to EDF’s ongoing investment in the UK’s nuclear fleet and the hard work of the employees and suppliers supporting these sites.

“When EDF acquired these stations in 2009 they were all due to end generation by early 2023 which would have left the UK with just one generating nuclear station at Sizewell B. Careful stewardship and around £8bn of investment since 2009 has seen several life extensions for these stations and much higher output than was predicted.”