‘No reason’ not to extend life of UK nuclear fleet

There is no reason “in principle” to not extend the lifespan of EDF’s remaining nuclear plants, which could provide the UK with a valuable “breathing space” while the next generation of its fleet comes online, academics have told MPs.

At the first evidence session of the House of Commons science and technology committee’s inquiry into delivering nuclear power, its member MPs quizzed experts on how long EDF’s aging fleet of UK atom plants can keep operating.

Paul Spence, director of strategy and corporate affairs at EDF, confirmed to the committee that the French-owned company is reviewing the shutdown dates of its five remaining UK nuclear plants.

Under the existing schedule, the Hartlepool and Heysham 1 advanced gas-cooled reactor plants are due to close in 2024 with the Heysham 2 and Torness stations following in 2028. EDF’s sole pressurised water reactor plant at Sizewell B is scheduled to close in 2035.

Professor Laurence Williams, visiting professor at Imperial College London, said the key factors limiting the lifespan of EDF’s remaining nuclear plants are the condition of their graphite cores and the rods that control the reactors and can terminate the nuclear fission process if required.

But while the Hinkley B and Hunterston B plants closed earlier this year after 46 years of operation, the newer stations at Heysham 2 and Torness are proposed to run for only 40 years, he said.

There is “in principle no reason not to extend the lives” of the latter two plants, Williams said: “There is nothing to suggest safety concerns about the graphite is causing them to shut down the reactors.”

But extending the life of the existing plants is only a short-term fix, he said: “We may be able to squeeze a little bit more out of Heysham and Torness beyond 2028 but we can’t expect them to go on for another ten to 15 years.

“If we are going to deliver the nuclear component of the energy strategy, we have to get on with it and start addressing issues about how to start delivering nuclear new build.”

Professor Francis Livens, director of the University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute, agreed.

“We won’t be extending them many years into the future. It will be short-term, but the breathing space would be very helpful.

“It is possible to squeeze more life out of the existing fleet, which will be based primarily on safety. It will eventually become uneconomic to invest and it is not a good long-term strategy because we don’t know how much more life we can squeeze out of the current fleet.”