Hunterston b nuclear power station stations uk. Defueling of the Site commenced shortly after, with this process due to complete in 2025. Hunterston B Power Station is a nuclear power station in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The UK Government is being urged to check the possibility of extending the lives of power stations after warnings closing seven sites by 2028 will “significantly reduce” output with no immediate replacement except relying on imports. Five are still generating electricity, including one at Torness near Dunbar Apr 24, 2025 · It has been confirmed that the station, which helped to power Scotland with low carbon electricity for 46 years, no longer holds any spent nuclear fuel on the site. This decision comes after a public consultation and a detailed assessment by ONR specialist inspectors of EDF Energy's environmental statement. The UK currently has eight operational nuclear power stations, which supplied 18. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group played a pivotal role in defueling Hunterston B on time and on budget. 7 million homes. We regulate the UK's 15 civil nuclear reactors, which consist of 14 Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGR) and one Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) operated by EDF. After nearly 46 years of generating electricity, the site has now been declared nuclear fuel free. Heysham 1 and Hartlepool are currently forecast to generate until March 2026. As part of the privatisation of the Scottish electricity generators, Hunterston A was transferred, with the adjacent Hunterston B, to the new state owned company Scottish Nuclear. Scotland currently has only one nuclear power station, the Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station started generating electricity in 1976 and ceased generation in 2022. The plant stopped generating energy in early 2022, and is now entering the final stage of its lifespan. The We regulate the UK's 15 civil nuclear reactors, which consist of 14 Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGR) and one Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) operated by EDF. This is clear from the contract awarded by the UK Government to Hinkley Point C nuclear station in Somerset, which will result in energy consumers subsidising its operation until 2060. Dungeness B AGR power station, with a different outward appearance to most AGRs, consequential to multiple build companies being used There were great hopes for the AGR design. Four AGR stations are still generating zero carbon electricity for the grid. Three of these have ceased generating; Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B, all of which have begun defueling, which is the last phase of operations before the start of decommissioning. A KEY milestone has been reached in the process of decommissioning Hunterston B nuclear power station. Nuclear energy will still be generated in Scotland at the newer Torness power station in East Lothian. Apr 24, 2025 · Hunterston B is one of seven advanced gas-cooled reactor sites in the UK which are nearing the end of their lives. The Hunterston B nuclear power station will shut down for ever at noon on Friday after 46 years of service, reducing the UK’s nuclear capacity by one-eighth and prompting calls from the industry The lifetime of Hunterston B nuclear power station in Scotland has been extended by another five years, to the end of 2016. The plant, which began operations in 1976, has two reactors, called 3 and 4, capable together of generating enough electricity to power 1. Available for both RF and RM licensing. The plant's original 25-year lifespan was extended by more The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has approved EDF Energy's application to start decommissioning the Hunterston B nuclear power plant in Scotland. 0 km) northwest of West Kilbride on the Firth of Clyde coast. Three of EDF’s nuclear power stations, Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B have ended generation and entered the first phase of decommissioning – defueling. 1 Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station (HNB) Nuclear Site Licence Boundary (hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’), ceased generation of electricity in January 2022. It was shutdown in 1990 and is now being decommissioned. At the moment EDF is removing the used fuel from the reactors in preparation for the decommissioning of the nuclear power station. It was the first commercial Advanced Gas Cooled reactor to generate power to the National Grid in 1976 and shares its design with sister station Hunterston B nuclear power station. Bosses at Hunterston B, near West Kilbride in Ayrshire, said the site had produced enough energy to power every home in Scotland for nearly 31 years since it first came on line. Closure of EDF's Ayrshire plant, which has operated on west coast of Scotland since 1976, leaves UK with just seven operational nuclear stations Hunterston B nuclear power station in Ayrshire is Hunterston B and Hinkley Point B power stations are on schedule to transfer into UK Government ownership in 2026 after defueling was completed in line with the plan. Nuclear installed capacity peaked at 12. The defueling of the second of two reactors at Hunterston B means the plant has become the first of the UK's seven advanced gas-cooled reactor power plants to be declared free of all used nuclear fuel ahead of decommissioning. However, in December, EDF Energy announced that Torness would close two years earlier than planned in 2028 because of similar problems with graphite cracks. The Hunterston B nuclear power station has recorded a decommissioning milestone by reducing its holdings of dangerous substances, now placing it outside of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH). [citation needed] List of largest power stations Three Gorges Dam in China, currently the world's largest hydroelectric power station, and the largest power-producing facility ever built, at 22,500 MW This article lists the largest power stations in the world, the ten overall and the five of each type, in terms of installed electrical capacity. Find the perfect overview electricity power station stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. [6] In great contrast to the bright pristine nature of the stations, the dams are organic and entwined with the natural rock. It is about 6 miles (9 km) south of Largs and about 2. Torness Nuclear Plant Torness is Scotland's last nuclear power plant and is set to cease generation in 2030 The SNP have opposed the creation of new nuclear plants and are able to use planning policy to block developments, despite energy policy being largely reserved to Westminster. RMB1D6BJ–Sunset over Hunterston Bay, Scotland home to two nuclear power stations, a natural deep water port and Largs marina. Decommissioning, namely the dismantling and decommissioning of plant and buildings at the Site, is anticipated to start Once Hunterston B stops generating power, EDF will take on the next task of defuelling the station, which is the first stage of the nuclear decommissioning process. Located about six miles (ten kilometres) south of Largs and about 21⁄2 miles (4 kilometres) northwest of West Kilbride on the Firth of Clyde coast. Preparations for defuelling have been under way for a long time, EDF said, and the process is expected to take a few years to complete. Since 2022, nuclear fuel has been removed from both reactors and safely transported by rail by Nuclear Transport Solutions to Sellafield in Cumbria for storage. Apr 26, 2025 · Yesterday (24 April) EDF announced Hunterston B nuclear power station has been successfully defueled on time and on budget, in less than three years, following rigorous checks by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). Located about 6 miles (9. Hunterston B power station in North Ayrshire has been defueled on time and on budget, operator EDF said. In 1996, upon privatisation of the UK nuclear industry, the site was transferred, this time Hunterston B is a nuclear power station situated in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Scotland is a net exporter of electricity and has a generating capacity of over 10 GW. By 2030, EDF expects all of the seven AGR stations to have ended power generation and to be at various stages of decommissioning. 5 miles (4 km) northwest of West Kilbride, on the Firth of Clyde coast. It was closer to Wemyss Bay than Inverkip, and dominated the local area with its 236 m (774 ft) chimney, the third tallest chimney in the UK and Scotland's tallest free-standing structure. It is currently operated by EDF Energy. Introduction 1. It is currently operated by EDF Energy, and began producing electricity in 1976. When maintenance work was carried out on the reactor and the pressure in the gas rapidly, leaving deposits of salt in the reactor around the gas circuit. In 2022, the 985 MW Hunterston B nuclear power plant reached the end of its operating life after nearly 46 years of generating electricity and moved into its defuelling phase, which is Hunterston B nuclear power station in Ayrshire is to close almost two years early after cracks were found in the core of its reactors. We believe that nuclear power represents poor value for consumers. The Hunterston B nuclear power plant in North Ayrshire has been shut down for the final time after generating electricity for 46 years. We oppose the building of new nuclear stations using current technologies. Instead there is one large gas turbine power station and one large nuclear power station, as Find the perfect large nuclear power station stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. 5 miles (4. It is the first station in the UK’s fleet of seven Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) sites to be completely defueled. 7 km) south of Largs and about 2. Over the coming year, EDF will also support EDF Power Solutions’ 2030 skills strategy, and oversee the transition of apprentices to Nuclear Restoration Services (formerly Magnox) as fuel-free stations Hunterston B and Hinkley point B move into their next phase. Hunterston B stopped generating electricity in January 2022 after 46 years of service. Hinkley Point B nuclear power station was a nuclear power station near Bridgwater, Somerset, on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has overseen a major milestone in the completion of defuelling at Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station. The site in North Ayrshire provided power for nearly 46 years before it was shut down in 2022. We granted consent to the licensee, EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd, to carry out a decommissioning project under EIADR on 9 August 2024. Electricity generation has ended at Scotland’s Hunterston B nuclear power plant with the shutting down of Reactor 4, an advanced gas-cooled reactor. We promote improvements in all aspects Located next to the operational Hunterston 'B' station, 2 miles (3 km) northwest of West Kilbride, some 5 miles (8 km) south of Largs on the North Ayrshire coast, Hunterston 'A' is an old Magnox nuclear power station, which comprised two 160 megawatt gas-cooled reactors, somewhat larger than the reactors installed at Scotland's first nuclear power station at Chapelcross EDF has received approval to start generating low carbon power again from one of the reactors at Hunterston B power station in Ayrshire, Scotland. The 1,288MW station uses two parallel 610MWe (nominal) advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs), although these no longer run at full power. Located about six miles (ten kilometres) south of Largs and about 2⁄2 miles (4 kilometres) northwest of West Kilbride on the Firth of Clyde coast. Hunterston B nuclear power station is a shut-down AGR nuclear power station in North Ayrshire, Scotland. None of this is generated by conventional oil- or gas-burning power stations. 1. From construction to closure in March 1990, the power station was owned and operated by South of Scotland Electricity Board. EDF Energy’s eight power stations account for roughly 16% of the UK’s electricity output, but Dungeness B, Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B are currently in the process of being decommissioned. Jan 20, 2026 · Hunterston B is the first of the UK’s seven advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) stations to be declared fuel free. EDF will begin decommissioning its Hunterston B nuclear power plant in Scotland by January 2022. Hunterston B, a nuclear power plant in North Ayrshire, Scotland, has become the first of the UK’s seven advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) facilities to complete defueling, marking a key step toward decommissioning. The UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has granted consent to EDF Energy’s application to start decommissioning the Hunterston B nuclear power plant. Hunterston B nuclear power station is a shut-down AGR nuclear power station in North Ayrshire, Scotland. ; Hunterston A is a twin reactor Magnox power station. Earlier this month the first of two reactors at the station was successfully defuelled in The Scottish government has long been opposed to building new nuclear power stations. For Parts of the scheme are now listed buildings, specifically the Glenlee Power Station and Bridge [2] and the Tongland Power Station, Surge Tower and Valve House. Three of the seven AGR stations are currently in the defueling stage of the nuclear lifecycle; Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B in Somerset and Dungeness B in Kent. We promote improvements in all aspects The UK government has also committed to making a final investment decision on at least one large-scale nuclear power station by the end of this Parliament, alongside harnessing new and advanced Hunterston B stopped generating electricity in January 2022 after 46 years of service. . Inverkip power station was an oil-fired power station on the Inverclyde coast, Firth of Clyde, west coast of Scotland. 7 per cent of total electricity supply in 2018. Operator EDF says the power station produced enough electricity during its lifetime to power every home in Scotland for nearly 31 years. In this year, nuclear accounted for more than a quarter of total electricity Costain’s Project Controls framework contract will see it support the safe operation and decommissioning of all these sites. The operating life of Hunterston B nuclear power station in Ayrshire has been extended by seven years, power company EDF Energy announces. A member of staff from Hunterston B Power Station has raised thousands of pounds for charity as part of a mass bike ride. The plant's original 25-year lifespan was extended by more Hunterston B nuclear power station is a shut-down AGR nuclear power station in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Decommissioning will involve dismantling and demolition of plant and buildings on the Hunterston B site and will be carried out by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), which is Hinkley Point B nuclear power station was a nuclear power station near Bridgwater, Somerset, on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England. The new arrangements relate to the fleet of seven Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (AGR) stations (Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B, Dungeness B, Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Heysham 2 and Torness). All spent nuclear fuel has been removed from the site of the former Hunterston B power station, leading to it being declared nuclear-free. EDF Energy Ltd has notified the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) that the Ayrshire site has made this significant 1. This list of power stations in Scotland includes current and former electricity-generating power stations in Scotland, sorted by type. 7 GW in 1995, with the opening of Sizewell B – the last nuclear reactor to be opened in the UK. It has operated since 1976 and it has been announced that from 7 January 2022 the station will cease generating and start defuelling. Three of them – Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B – are in decommissioning and five are generating. The station generated around 360MW of electricity during its 25 year operating life - enough electricity to supply 700,000 homes. Apr 24, 2025 · EDF owns and operates eight nuclear power stations in the UK. [10] An ambitious construction programme of five twin reactor stations, Dungeness B, Hinkley Point B, Hunterston B, Hartlepool and Heysham was quickly rolled out, and export orders were eagerly anticipated. e4bz10, 3ilw, njghy, osva, gylc5, ja97, byhqx, h2oxe, dncqkf, ibncc,