The reopening of Sizewell B has been delayed by three months, with repairs needed to steel components in the nuclear power station. EDF took the Suffolk power station offline on 16 April for planned maintenance and had been due to return it to service at the end of May. This date has now been extended until the end of August. According to The Times, repairs are needed to some of Sizewell’s stainless steel “thermal sleeves”, which form part of the mechanisms that insert control rods into the reactor core to shut it down. Extreme wear could lead to parts of the thermal sleeves loosening and obstructing the control rods.
New Civil Engineer 18th May 2021 read more »