EDF extends life of Heysham nuclear plants

Energy giant EDF has announced that the lifespan of two nuclear power stations in Lancashire will be extended in a move to boost the UK’s clean power targets.

The French company made the announcement regarding its Heysham One and Heysham Two operations following what it described as a detailed review process.

It says the decision will help boost energy security and reduce dependence on imported gas, whilst also securing jobs and skills in the sector.

Heysham One, which began generating in 1983, will now produce power until March 2027, a one-year extension.

Heysham Two, which opened in 1988, has been given a two-year extension until March 2030.

The Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor stations had previously been expected to close in 2026 and 2028. More than 1,000 people work at the Heysham site.

The Lancashire stations are among four EDF nuclear operations in the UK given an extension, which the company says means they will continue to support more than 3,000 jobs.

EDF says it will invest a further £1.3bn in these power stations over the next three years.

Mark Hartley, managing director of EDF’s Nuclear Operations business, said: “The decision is testament to EDF’s ongoing investment in the UK’s nuclear fleet and the hard work of the employees and suppliers supporting these sites.

“When EDF acquired these stations in 2009 they were all due to end generation by early 2023 which would have left the UK with just one generating nuclear station at Sizewell B.

“Careful stewardship and around £8bn of investment since 2009 has seen several life extensions for these stations and much higher output than was predicted.”

The government’s energy and net zero secretary Ed Miliband welcomed the move. He said: “EDF’s decision to keep four nuclear plants online is a strong endorsement of our clean power mission.

“These extensions are a major win for our energy independence – powering millions of homes for longer while supporting 3,000 good jobs across Lancashire, Teesside, and East Lothian. We can’t achieve clean power by 2030 without nuclear, which provides an all-important steady supply of homegrown clean energy.

“This will come alongside our backing for new nuclear including supporting the completion of Hinkley Point C, confirming £2.7bn for Sizewell C, and pressing on with contract negotiations for our small modular reactor competition.”

In July EDF revealed that Heysham Two had saved more than 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere during its lifetime – the equivalent of taking every car off the UK’s roads for almost two years.

The station had also produced 300TWh of low-carbon electricity, enough to power every home in Lancashire for 147 years.