In common with coal and oilfired power stations, electricity is produced by heating water to create steam, which is then used to turn a turbine to generate electricity. Official sensitive for regional resilience partnership use only hunterston b nuclear power station way no. An nuclear power station in ayrshire will close earlier than planned because of cracks in the core of its reactor. Nuclear power stations ncap national collection of. It is capable of supplying electricity to approximately 1. In 1956 the government of the time decided that scotland required more power stations and compulsory bought 160 acres of land and a long public enquiry ensued.
The safety case also takes into account graphite bricks with two axial cracks doubly cracked bricks and the potential for bricks with three or more. Procedures manual for internal use by the staff of that agency. Aug 27, 2020 edf has announced its hunterston b nuclear power plant in ayrshire, scotland, is to be shut down early and will start to be decommissioned in january 2022 the french energy giant had planned to. Description of the advanced gas cooled type of reactor agr. The current zone within which evacuation, sheltering and. Permission requested under their arrangements made under licence condition 221, edf energy nuclear. The graphite core of each of the reactors is made up of around 6000 graphite bricks 3000 of these are the graphite bricks containing fuel channels which are all connected together. Thats despite the power station, in north ayrshire, scotland, having regulatory approval to operate until march 2023. An aerial gammaray survey of the environment of hunterston nuclear power station was commissioned by scottish nuclear limited, and conducted by the scottish universities research and reactor centre. This follows a major, twoyear inspection and investment programme to prove that the station can respond safely to a range of earthquake scenarios, far worse than the.
Hunterston b in ayrshire closed last year after more than 350 cracks in a reactor were. The story of hunterston a nuclear power station, scotlands first civil power plant and worlds largest when built various images of the site throughout the years part of the virtual hunterston group of websites. I was away from home visiting relatives over the christmas period, as were many other nonessential personnel. Hunterston nuclear reactors to close permanently in 2021. Dimensions of single and multicavity pressure vessels 78 figure 10 9. Aug 27, 2020 hunterston nuclear power station, one of the uks oldest remaining nuclear plants, is to close down next year, earlier than expected, after encountering a series of safety critical problems in. Edf has received approval from office for nuclear regulation onr to start generating low carbon power again from one of the reactors at hunterston b power station in scotland. Information about living near a nuclear power station.
Aug 31, 2020 edf will close its hunterston b nuclear power station next year, at least a year earlier than scheduled. Aug 20, 2019 edf energy is expected to restart reactor 4 at its 40yearold hunterston b nuclear plant on the firth of clyde in north ayrshire within weeks after the office for nuclear regulation onr said. Scottish campaign for nuclear disarmament judging the. Nuclear power stations are designed, operated and regulated to ensure that. The nuclear power station at hunterston in north ayrshire has breached radiation safety rules and suffered five other problems with its safety systems. The restarts of three advanced gascooled reactor agr units at edfs dungeness b and hunterston b nuclear power plants in the uk have been postponed. Both its nuclear reactors r3 and r4 have been out of operation due to. Defuelling, removal of most buildings and a care and maintenance phase is planned until 2072. Concerns after six safety incidents at hunterston nuclear plant. The date has twice been extended at edfs request and with the agreement of the office of nuclear regulation onr. Reactor 4 at hunterston b power station in north ayrshire was one of two remaining reactors at the plant taken out of service last year. Cracked nuclear power station reopens the ecologist.
Hunterston b power plant is a nuclear licensed site operating two advanced gascooled reactors agrs units 3 and 4. Psr of the hinkley point b and hunterston b nuclear power stations safety cases to justify continued safe operations1 at the facility for the. Jun 10, 2019 edf says the closed reactor at the hunterston b power plant will only be restarted if safe. The 1,288mw station uses two parallel 610mwe nominal advanced gascooled reactors agrs, although these no longer run at full power. Hunterston b to close two years early after cracks found. Safety was built in from the very foundations at hunterston and the devices ranged from the massive concreete sheilding round the reactor vessels, 9ft thick at the sides and 10ft 6in thick across the top, to the sensitive. Hunterston a was a first generation magnox nuclear station with two reactors that operated from 1964 to 1990 and is currently being decommissioned. It is on the firth of clyde adjacent to the hunterston b nuclear station, whose two reactors are due to close down by january 2022 after the discovery of hundreds of cracks in their graphite cores. It is currently operated by edf energy, and began producing electricity in 1976. The storm caused loss of the electricity grid connections to hunterston b nuclear power station in. Description of the magnox type of gas cooled reactor magnox. Hunterston b power station is a nuclear power station in north ayrshire, scotland. Scottish nuclear power station to shut down early after.
The nuclear power station at hunterston in north ayrshire has breached radiation safety rules and suffered five other problems with its safety. Hunterston b power station is a nuclear licensed site o perating two advanced gascooled reactors, known as reactors 3 and 4. Office for nuclear regulation by way of a circle around the site of varying distances depending on the site, many of which is historical and, in the case of hunterston related to when hunterston a power station was generating power. Hunterston b power station in north ayrshire previously had an estimated decommissioning date of 2023, with a plusminus two years proviso. Hunterston b nuclear power station to close in 2021 simply.
Salmond has his way, hunterston c, if it is built, will not be nuclear. Hunterston nuclear reactors to close permanently in 2021 27th august 2020 commenting on the news that one of the closed reactors at hunterston in ayrshire will be allowed to restart and run for six months but then the power station will be permanently shut in 2021, friends of the earth scotlands director dr richard dixon said. Agreement to npsc 7785 hunterston b power station office for. Agreement to npsc 7785 hunterston b power station return. Information about living near a nuclear power station introduction reppir 2019 places a duty of the local authority to provide information to those living within the detailed emergency planning zone of hunterston b nuclear power station. Careful design and high quality of construction are prerequisites for a safe nuclear power plant. Mar 22, 2021 hunterston a was a first generation magnox nuclear station with two reactors that operated from 1964 to 1990 and is currently being decommissioned.
Hunterston b reactor will only be restarted if safe. Hunterston b nuclear power station is a nuclear power station in north ayrshire, scotland. Closure urged after 350 cracks found in nuclear reactor. Project assessment report unique document id and onrhnbpar. Dimensions of single and multicavity pressure vessels 78 figure 10 9 pressure vessel layout for hartlepool agr 79 figure 10. Hunterston b is a nuclear power station on the west coast of scotland. However, a plant s safety depends ultimately on the ability and conscientiousness of the operating personnel and on their programmes and working methods.
Hunterston nuclear power station to shut down early after. Onr is the uk regulator for nuclear safety, civil nuclear security and transport of civil radioactive. The story of hunterston a nuclear power station, scotlands first civil power plant and worlds largest when built. Aug 04, 2019 an investigation has been launched into four safety incidents at a nuclear power station in scotland. Safety was built in from the very foundations at hunterston and the devices ranged from the massive concreete sheilding round the reactor vessels, 9ft thick at the sides and 10ft 6in thick across the top, to the sensitive instrumnets which automatically and constantly sample the gas from the 3288 fuel element channels in search of the slightest trace of radioactive fission products released. The area enclosed a 31km square, with hunterston nuclear power station at the centre, and was flown with a flight line spacing of 500m. Reppir 2019 states that information should be available in an appropriate manner and in an. Hunterston b nuclear power station was commissioned in 1976 and was designed with an operating life of approximately 35 years, i. Nfla policy briefing no nuclear free local authorities. Hunterston b nuclear power station is based in north ayrshire and has been operational since 1976 and was due to be decommissioned in 2006, a date which has since been pushed back to at least 2023 making hunterston one of the oldest nuclear power stations in europe. Nov 23, 2019 1km emergency zone around cracked reactors will do, says nuclear firm, the ferret, 22 nov 19, the power company, edf energy, has come under fire for advising that the emergency zone to protect people around its cracked nuclear reactors at hunterston could be shrunk to a kilometre. Hunterston b nuclear power station to close in 2021. Summary of design data for hunterston magnox nuclear power station. I was british energys nuclear safety manager at the time.
Nuclear power stations ncap national collection of aerial. Hunterston b to close two years early after cracks found in. To continue to operate safely and reliably the reactor plant requires examination, inspection maintenance and testing. Nuclear regulator permits restarting of reactor 4 at hunterston b. Reactor 4 r4 at hunterston b was restarted on 25th august after edfs safety case was approved by the office for nuclear regulation onr. Over 350 cracks found in hunterston b nuclear reactor bbc. Edf dungeness reactor 22 and reactor 21 were taken offline, respectively, on 27 august and 19 september, 2018 for preplanned outages.
Aug 20, 2019 a nuclear reactor at hunterston b power station will temporarily return to service after being shut down last year when cracks were found in its core. Hunterston b power station to begin decommissioning by 2022. The reactor was given permission to reopen but only. The french utility giant has confirmed that it will begin decommissioning the plant no later than 7 january 2022. A nuclear reactor at a power station will temporarily return to service after being shut down last year when cracks were found in its core. Four safety alerts at hunterston b nuclear plant spark. It is located about 6 miles 9 km south of largs and about 2. An incident that occurred at the hunterston b nuclear power station in february 1997 it wasnt a disaster in the traditional sense, but the incident had negative consequences for the operator, and caused disruption to some food and drink supplies the issues identified are not unique to the nuclear. Hunterston b reactor to be restarted after cracks probe. Decomissioning at hunterston b will start by january 2022 its though the plant could remain in operation through to 2023. Aug 29, 2020 judging the safety of hunterston b nuclear power station details published on saturday, 29 august 2020 10. A nuclear power station which had been forced to reduce output in the last few years because of cracks in its core will begin the decommissioning process by 2022. Four safety alerts at hunterston b nuclear plant spark probe. It has been closed since march 2018 because of the fears raised by an estimated 377 cracks in its graphite core.
Hunterston b nuclear power station, west kilbride, ayrshire. Operational safety practices in nuclear power plants. A scottish nuclear power station is to be shut down a year earlier than expected after cracks were discovered in its core. It is currently operated by frances edf energy, and began producing electricity in 1976. A few years later in 1967 the next station was on its way and it started operation in 1976. Location of hunterston nuclear power plant 75 figure 10 6. Sep 30, 2020 this letter was sent to the editors of the scotsman and the herald on september 25, 2020. Office for nuclear regulation page 3 of 29 executive summary title agreement to npsc 7785 hunterston b power station return to service safety case for reactor 4 following core inspection results in 2018.
And you would not include hunterston c which could possibly be a coal fired power station. Hinkley point bhunterston b office for nuclear regulation. Plant lifetime extensions for scotlands ageing reactors the lack. The latest report from the uk government watchdog, the office for nuclear regulation onr, has revealed that hunterston failed to adequately account for radioactive materials last october. This feature examines the hunterston facility in ayrshire, scotland, to illustrate the layout of a typical nuclear power station in the uk. Hunterston b nuclear reactor to restart voice for arran. Hunterston a closed in 1990, with reactor 2 shutting down on 31 december 1989 and reactor 1 on 31 march 1990, immediately prior to the splitting of sseb into scottish power and scottish nuclear. Edf energy prolongs outages at dungeness and hunterston.
Nuclear regulator permits restarting of reactor 4 at. Jun 08, 2019 pictures emerged earlier this year showing cracks in the core of a nuclear reactor at hunterston b power station. An incident that occurred at the hunterston b nuclear power station in february 1997 it wasnt a disaster in the traditional sense, but the incident had negative consequences for the operator, and caused disruption to some food and drink supplies the issues identified are not unique to the nuclear sector. The lifetime of hunterston b nuclear power station in scotland has been extended by another five years, to the end of 2016. New cracks delay restart of hunterston b reactor world. Find out about edf energys commitment to zero harm. The uk governments office for nuclear regulation onr state. Contamination of the co2 system at hunterston b nuclear. I dont think there is another site in the uk with nuclear and conventional adjacent. Glasgow and edinburgh could be contaminated with radiation.
Hunterston b nuclear power plants shut down date brought. Reactor 4 at the north ayrshire facility was one of two remaining reactors at the plant taken out of service last year. Mar 09, 2020 the nuclear power station at hunterston in north ayrshire has breached radiation safety rules and suffered five other problems with its safety systems. Lifetime extension of ageing nuclear power plants greenpeace. Shortly after this in 1957 work began constructing hunterston a which began operation in 1964. The french energy giant has reassured the public that safety is its top priority after a daily mail. Edf has received approval from office for nuclear regulation onr to start generating low carbon power again from one of the reactors at hunterston b power station in scotland this follows a major, twoyear inspection and investment programme to prove that the station can respond safely to a range of earthquake scenarios, far worse than the uk has ever experienced or expects to occur. Edfs misleading and deficient safety report on hunterston. Very recently, the office for nuclear regulation onr gave permissions to edf to restart for six months two ancient, unsafe reactors at the hunterston b nuclear power station on the clyde coast. The storm caused loss of the electricity grid connections to hunterston b nuclear power station in ayrshire, possibly due to windborne salt spray leading to arcing at pylons.
Following the accident at the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant, the uk nuclear. Hunterston a was a twin reactor magnox power station and was scotlands first civil nuclear generating station and at the time of opening the largest in operation anywhere in the world and generated around 360mw of electricity during its 25 year life the station was started producing electricity in 1964 and closed down in 1989. Aug 27, 2020 hunterston b nuclear power station in ayrshire is to close almost two years early after cracks were found in the core of its reactors. It is currently operated by frances edf energy, and began producing electricity in 1976 hunterston bs two reactors were shut down from 2018 to 2019 because of safety concerns. Edf energy prolongs outages at dungeness and hunterston units. Over 350 cracks found in hunterston b nuclear reactor.
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