EDF Energy completes Fukushima safety programme

EDF Energy has completed its Japanese Earthquake Response programme of work to enhance the safety and resilience to its nuclear power stations.

The safety programme for the company’s eight nuclear power stations, developed in the aftermath of the Fukushima incident in 2011, included additional training for key technical staff, enhancements to back-up equipment for cooling systems, and emergency command and control facilities.

A key part of the work included a new emergency response centre near Sizewell B, which provides robust back-up for the multiple safety systems already in place at the station.

As the only pressurised water reactor operating in the UK, Sizewell B has a dedicated emergency response centre in response to a recommendation of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) to further enhance safety margins.

EDF Energy has created three regional facilities to service its other nuclear power stations, which use a different technology.

The work was conducted following a review by the ONR’s then chief nuclear inspector Mike Weightman, which made a number of recommendations to improve safety and resilience at EDF Energy’s nuclear sites.

EDF Energy managing director of generation Stuart Crooks said: “In the immediate aftermath of Fukushima we satisfied ourselves and the regulator that our plants were safe to continue operation.

“At the same time we conducted a detailed review to ensure we had learned the lessons from the event and make recommendations to improve our safety margins even more.

“Although this work programme has been successfully completed and validated by the ONR we will continue to learn and ensure we achieve safe reliable generation of low carbon electricity over the life of our nuclear stations.”