EDF ready to push back closure dates for nuclear plants in the UK
EDF has told ministers it is on standby to keep two of its nuclear power stations open for longer than planned amid efforts to boost domestic energy supplies.
The French state-owned company is currently aiming to keep its Hartlepool station on the River Tees and Heysham 1 station near Lancaster running until March 2024, but is not ruling out keeping them open beyond that date.
A spokesman said: “Hartlepool and
Heysham 1 power stations share the same design and are due to produce electricity until at least March 2024. This date is based on a mid-2021 review, prior to the energy crisis.
“Operating beyond this point will need the consent of both EDF and the regulator and be driven by the condition of the reactors’ graphite core, as well as more strategic factors such as the extent to which the Government needs the capacity from 2024 onwards.”
Combined, the plants can generate enough electricity for around 3.6m homes, with capacity of about 2GW. One of the reactors at Heysham 1 returned to service on Wednesday afternoon following a statutory outage.
EDF owns the UK’S nuclear fleet of eight nuclear power stations, which generate about 17pc of Britain’s electricity over the year. Under current plans, however, all but one of the fleet is set to close by the end of the decade due to age.
It has triggered concerns about strained electricity supplies in coming years just as demand for electricity grows due to the shift away from fossil fuels. Only one replacement plant is currently being built, Hinkley Point C in Somerset, but this is not due to be online until June 2027. EDF last month pushed the start date back by a year, blaming the pandemic for disrupting work.
In the shorter term, there is also concern about this winter as Russia’s war on Ukraine disrupts gas markets. Gas typically produces almost 40pc of Britain’s electricity over the year. Under a worst case scenario modelled in Whitehall, up to 6m UK homes face power outages this winter if Moscow goes further than it has in cutting off gas supplies to Europe.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, has asked National Grid to bolster supplies of non-gas-fired electricity this winter, including getting coal-fired plants to stay open longer than planned.
EDF has ruled out keeping its Hinkley Point B station open beyond its scheduled closure next month. A spokesman added: “Hinkley Point B has delivered its purpose very well, serving the nation with zero-carbon power for 15 years longer than originally planned.
“EDF will not pursue another extension. Looking ahead, our collective focus will be on ensuring the 5,500MW of remaining nuclear capacity supports the UK over the next few years.”