The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has moved Hartlepool Nuclear power station into enhanced regulatory attention for safety.
The plant, which is operated by EDF, was due to begin decommissioning in 2026, but had its lifespan extended again in December 2024. It’s due to continue operating until March 2027.
The ONR says the decision for enhanced regulatory attention does not relate to the extension to the nuclear plant’s life, and was “based on evidence gained from ongoing targeted engagements at the site which have identified areas where improvements are required”.
The regulator aims to influence improvements in areas including conventional health and safety, the number of site incidents and the production of nuclear safety cases.
EDF has produced an improvement plan, which the ONR has accepted.
© Supplied by EDFMike Webb, ONR’s superintending inspector for operating reactors, said: “When required, we place sites into enhanced attention to achieve improved performance in specific areas, which is a key part of our role as an independent regulator.
“It’s encouraging that EDF has already submitted a performance improvement plan to us to address the areas we identified as requiring improvement at the site.
“We have reviewed this plan and are confident it will address our outlined concerns.
“With our enabling regulatory approach, we are committed to working with the licensee to ensure all these issues are addressed.”
Mark Lees, Hartlepool power station director, said: “This power station has an excellent operating and safety record built up over more than 40 years of electricity generation and it is important to note that the ONR has clearly said it has confidence the site can continue to safely operate.
Action plan
“We have always worked with the ONR to address, and flag, technical issues as they emerge and to ensure they are content with the way we’re working. Our action plan will ensure we continuously improve our performance on those issues identified by ourselves and the regulator.”
Hartlepool – which can generate 1,185 MWe – was one of four plants whose lifespan was extended by EDF last year, which also includes Torness in East Lothian and the Heysham 1 & 2 plants in Lancashire.
At that time the government said the extensions were “a major win” for the UK’s energy independence, as delays to opening the new Hinkley C nuclear power plant continue.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said of the extensions: “We can’t achieve clean power by 2030 without nuclear, which provides an all important steady supply of homegrown clean energy.”
Originally commissioned in 1983, Hartlepool nuclear plant was initially expected to begin decommissioning in 2009, but has had its operational life extended on multiple occasions.
