Nuclear plants to generate for another year

The operating life of two UK nuclear plants is to be further extended following inspections.

EDF said Heysham 1 in Lancashire and Hartlepool in Teesside will now continue generating until March 2028. They were due to move into defueling in March 2027 based on a review in December 2024. 

EDF said results of inspections of the graphite cores have supported its decision to extend station lifetimes. 

Dr Mark Hartley, Managing Director of EDF’s Nuclear Operations business, said: “Extending the life of these stations makes sense. 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. 

“A further year of operation for these two stations has the potential to power more than four million homes and reduce the need for imported gas.”