Energy giant EDF has announced plans to extend the life of two of Britain’s five remaining nuclear power stations.
Heysham 1 and Hartlepool were due to close in March next year but will now remain open until early 2026.
The company says the move will support energy security, reduce demand for imported gas and reduce carbon emissions.
Around 1,400 employees work at the two locations, with hundreds more in the supply chain.
Heysham 1 and Hartlepool became operational in 1983. Each has two Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors that were originally scheduled to close in 2014. Two previous life extensions had extended the closure date to March 2024.
The two power plants currently account for about 5% of the country’s electricity.
The announcement comes at a time when the country’s energy security is under intense scrutiny.
Most of our electricity is generated from gas. Last year, the conflict in Ukraine led to a sudden increase in gas prices – which also led to a sharp increase in electricity bills.
Renewable generation, for example from wind and solar energy, has increased significantly in recent years. However, the amount available to the network may vary depending on the time of day and the weather.
Proponents of nuclear power generation argue that it provides base-load power — in other words, a predictable and stable supply — although other sources are needed to quickly respond to spikes in demand.
To guard against possible power outages this winter, National Grid has kept five aging coal-fired power plants on standby.
Earlier this week, two of them were ordered to start generating power as a combination of high demand and limited supply led to concerns about potential shortages.
A new system whereby consumers are paid to reduce consumption during peak periods has also recently been tested.
EDF said the decision to keep Heysham 1 and Hartlepool open came after a “rigorous review” of the technical and commercial cases to keep them open.
It pointed to inspections of the reactor cores over the past year that “enhanced confidence that the stations can generate power for longer and continue to meet strict regulatory standards.”
However, the company has closed three other nuclear power plants in the past 18 months.
Under current plans, even with the extensions agreed today, the country’s entire fleet of AGR reactors is set to close by 2028.
Sizewell B, a reactor built to a different design, is expected to remain open until 2035.
The government is committed to building a new generation of nuclear power plants. But only one — Hinkley Point C — is currently under construction.
The new £25billion plant, which has been plagued by rising costs and delays, is unlikely to open before June 2027.
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