Sunita Somvanshi
EDF Energy has extended the operating life of two nuclear power stations for an additional 12 months, a move that will help strengthen UK energy security and support clean power goals. Heysham 1 in Lancashire and Hartlepool in Teesside will now continue generating electricity until March 2028, a year longer than previously announced. The decision follows positive results from graphite core inspections conducted over the past nine months at both plants.
“Extending the life of these stations makes sense,” said Mark Hartley, Managing Director of EDF’s Nuclear Operations business. “It secures employment for longer for more than 1,000 people who work at those sites, and it supports the UK’s ambitions to have a clean, secure electricity supply.”
The two plants, which began generating in 1983, have a combined capacity of 2.3 gigawatts and provide around 5% of Britain’s power supply. Together, they can power more than four million homes and help reduce the UK’s reliance on imported gas.
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These plants, once expected to close in 2014, have since had multiple extensions — to 2019, 2024, 2026, 2027, and now 2028. When EDF took over the UK’s nuclear fleet in 2009, the expected shutdown date was extended to 2019, then to 2024, and later to 2027 before this latest extension to 2028.
The key to these extensions has been the condition of the graphite cores in the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs). These cores can develop cracks as they age, requiring regular inspections to ensure they remain within safety limits.
British Gas owner Centrica, which holds a 20% stake in the plants, welcomed the announcement. CEO Chris O’Shea said: “The UK needs more reliable, affordable, zero-carbon electricity, so the extension of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool is great news. We believe in having a diversified energy system, with nuclear power playing a key role in ensuring stability and sustainability for decades to come.”
Nuclear Industry Association Chief Executive Tom Greatrex called the extension “the single biggest step forward for energy security this year” and “a vital boost for our stretched power grid.”
The decision comes as the UK works to meet its target of decarbonizing electricity supply by 2030 and reducing reliance on gas power plants, which currently provide about a third of the country’s power.
EDF’s remaining AGR stations – Heysham 2 and Torness – will continue operating until March 2030, based on extensions granted in December last year. This news follows the recent financial commitment for Sizewell C nuclear plant, with the UK government becoming the main investor at 44.9% ownership.EDF has suggested that extending Sizewell B’s operational lifespan might be possible, potentially adding two decades beyond its current 2035 closure date, though financial considerations would need to be addressed first.
