Energy market rules require us to provide our most likely view of return to service dates. To support time for the ONR assessment, we have declared 30 April 2019 for Reactor 4. The Reactor 3 safety case is currently going through our internal process of independent review. On completion it will be submitted to the ONR for their assessment. To allow sufficient time for this we have declared 30 June 2019 for return to service of Reactor 3.
EDF Energy 18th March 2019 read more »
Plans to restart two cracked and ageing reactors at Hunterston in north Ayrshire have again been delayed as operators struggle to convince regulators they are safe. EDF Energy, the French company that runs Hunterston B nuclear power station, has postponed the restart date for reactor three by two months to 30 June 2019. The restart of reactor four has been postponed a month until 30 April 2019. Critics, however, reiterated calls for the reactors to shut down permanently. “It really is time for EDF to admit that these stations are well past their sell-by date and need to close,” said nuclear consultant, Peter Roche. “They should start talking to the Scottish Government about providing alternative employment opportunities in Ayrshire, preferably by bringing forward decommissioning and dismantling and developing robot technology.” Rita Holmes, chair of the Hunterston site stakeholder group chair, said that personally she had no doubt that ONR would take time to scrutinise EDF’s safety cases. “Some people find the delays reassuring because EDF is sparing no expense, leaving no stone unturned, consulting the experts in order to build a robust safety case,” she said. “Some feel the opposite – if it takes EDF that long to provide a robust safety case then maybe there is something far wrong. The safety case might or might not satisfy the regulator. I have every confidence that ONR will make the right decision.” ONR said it had initially received a safety case for a return to service of reactor four in November 2018. “But we requested further information from EDF in respect of multiply cracked bricks,” an ONR spokesperson told The Ferret. “The safety case will be assessed by ONR’s specialist inspectors and a decision will be made on whether it is safe for reactor four to return to service for the justified
The Ferret 19th March 2019 read more »
EDF prolongs the shutdown of two nuclear reactors in Scotland. DF Energy has extended the shutdowns of two nuclear reactors at its Hunterston B plant in Scotland pending an assessment of their safety cases by the UK regulator. The Hunterston B-8 reactor is expected to restart by April 30, a month later than expected, while the commissioning of Hunterston B-7, originally scheduled for April 30, is scheduled for June 29, according to the website. the EDF subsidiary.
Le Figaro 19th March 2019 read more »
Reuters 19th March 2019 read more »
