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Released December 10, 2012 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- Two of the U.K.'s old nuclear power plants have received the green light to operate for another seven years.
Hinkley Point B in Somerset and Hunterston B in North Ayrshire are now expected to remain operational until at least 2023, following a positive decision by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The decision was announced by EDF Energy CEO, Vincent de Rivaz, at the re-opening of the Visitor Centre for Hinkley Point B in nearby Bridgwater. Longer operating lives will help the U.K. battle a looming energy crisis as it faces losing a quarter of its electricity generating capacity in the coming decade due to the closure of old nuclear and coal-fired plants.
EDF runs eight nuclear power plants in the U.K. and will play a key role in the country's ambitious new nuclear build program. EDF's U.K. fleet - which uses mainly advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs) and one pressurised water reactor (PWR) - has a combined generation capacity of almost 9,000 megawatts (MW). In December 2010, EDF won permission to extend the lives of the nuclear plants, Heysham 1 and Hartlepool, until 2019, five years beyond their original closure dates. For additional information, see December 23, 2010, article - EDF Extends Lifespans of Two Nuclear Plants in U.K..
"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 UK nuclear industry and its supply chain," Rivaz said. "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% of the total being spent in the UK. 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."
He added: "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."
The ONR stated: "The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is in the process of examining EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd (NGL) 'Lifetime Management Programme' for the extension of the operational lifetime of its existing fleet of nuclear power reactors. Our work has included reviews of the plants to establish where improvements could be made in monitoring plant and material performance and identifying where further work is necessary on the impact of ageing. As a part of ONR's intervention on lifetime management, we reviewed NGL's proposals for Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B and are broadly content with NGL's proposals."
Last month, EDF spin-off company, NNB Generation Company (NNB GenCo), received permission to build a new nuclear power plant (NPP) at Hinkley Point . It is the first new nuclear licence awarded by the U.K. government in 25 years and signals the start of the government's goal to create a new fleet of nuclear power plants in the coming decades. For additional information, see November 28, 2012, article - U.K. Grants First Nuclear Licence in 25 Years.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
Hinkley Point B in Somerset and Hunterston B in North Ayrshire are now expected to remain operational until at least 2023, following a positive decision by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The decision was announced by EDF Energy CEO, Vincent de Rivaz, at the re-opening of the Visitor Centre for Hinkley Point B in nearby Bridgwater. Longer operating lives will help the U.K. battle a looming energy crisis as it faces losing a quarter of its electricity generating capacity in the coming decade due to the closure of old nuclear and coal-fired plants.
EDF runs eight nuclear power plants in the U.K. and will play a key role in the country's ambitious new nuclear build program. EDF's U.K. fleet - which uses mainly advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs) and one pressurised water reactor (PWR) - has a combined generation capacity of almost 9,000 megawatts (MW). In December 2010, EDF won permission to extend the lives of the nuclear plants, Heysham 1 and Hartlepool, until 2019, five years beyond their original closure dates. For additional information, see December 23, 2010, article - EDF Extends Lifespans of Two Nuclear Plants in U.K..
"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 UK nuclear industry and its supply chain," Rivaz said. "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% of the total being spent in the UK. 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."
He added: "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."
The ONR stated: "The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is in the process of examining EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd (NGL) 'Lifetime Management Programme' for the extension of the operational lifetime of its existing fleet of nuclear power reactors. Our work has included reviews of the plants to establish where improvements could be made in monitoring plant and material performance and identifying where further work is necessary on the impact of ageing. As a part of ONR's intervention on lifetime management, we reviewed NGL's proposals for Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B and are broadly content with NGL's proposals."
Last month, EDF spin-off company, NNB Generation Company (NNB GenCo), received permission to build a new nuclear power plant (NPP) at Hinkley Point . It is the first new nuclear licence awarded by the U.K. government in 25 years and signals the start of the government's goal to create a new fleet of nuclear power plants in the coming decades. For additional information, see November 28, 2012, article - U.K. Grants First Nuclear Licence in 25 Years.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
