Overview of briefing the nfla has remained concerned for some time about the safety problems at reactors 3 and 4 at the hunterston b nuclear power station in north ayrshire. The acting secretary general cornel feruta international atomic energy agency po box 100 1400 vienna austria by email 20082019 dear. The story of hunterston a nuclear power station, scotlands first civil power plant and worlds largest when built. Jellyfish blockage has occurred at the diablo canyon nuclear power station in california, and in japan. We are pleased to confirm that the independent nuclear safety regulator, onr, has given permission for edf energy to restart reactor 4 at hunterston b power station. Operator edf said it has no safety implications and will not affect the operation of the reactor. Onr has also accepted edfs revised graphite core safety case for both sites, but has included a number of recommendations as part of this. The office for nuclear regulation onr has today provided edf energy nuclear generation ltd with permission for reactor 4 at hunterston b to return to service for the next period of operation. Feb 09, 2016 in 2012 there was a discovery of problems with planned pipework routes during installation of the new nitrogen system tieins to the reactor 3 pressure vessel at french state owned edf hunterston b nuclear power station in scotland. As part of the privatisation of the scottish electricity generators, hunterston a was transferred, with the adjacent hunterston b, to the new state owned company scottish nuclear. Oct 06, 2014 media caption hunterston b has two advanced gascooled reactors and began operating in 1976.
The nuclear safety results improved slightly in 2019. The nuclear power station at hunterston in north ayrshire has breached radiation safety rules and suffered five other problems with its safety systems. Hunterston a nuclear power station was a magnox power station located at hunterston in ayrshire, scotland, adjacent to hunterston b and is currently being decommissioned contents 1 history. New cracks have been found in one of the reactors at hunterston b nuclear power station in north. Hunterston a nuclear power station west kilbride, north. Cracks in scottish nuclear reactor core prompt safety. Hunterston b nuclear power station was commissioned in 1976 and was designed with an operating life of approximately 35 years, i. Hunterston b nuclear power station wikipedia republished. Hunterston b no2nuclearpower 22 june 18 the prolonged closure of reactor 3 at hunterston b in north ayrshire is the beginning of the end for seven nuclear power stations in scotland and england. The lifetime of hunterston b nuclear power station in scotland has been extended by another five years, to the end of 2016. As nuclear power stations like hunterston b age, fine cracks occur in the graphite bricks which make up the reactor core. Edinburgh is at serious risk from torness, as well as hunterston b, nuclear power stations. The 1,288mw station uses two parallel 610mwe nominal advanced gascooled reactors agrs, although these no longer run at full power.
Hunterston b nuclear reactor to restart after safety assessment. Operational safety practices in nuclear power plants. Just a month before a powerful earthquake and tsunami crippled the fukushima daiichi plant, government regulators approved a 10year extension for the oldest of the six reactors at the power station despite warnings about its safety. The reactor had an estimated 209 cracks in its graphite core, and had been shut down since 2 october 2018. Hunterston a nuclear power station, west kilbride, north ayrshire. Hunterston b power station is a nuclear power station in north ayrshire, scotland. Hunterston offsite emergency plan east ayrshire council. Sep 22, 2017 emergency services raced to hunterston power station after reports of an explosion at the ayrshire electricitygenerating facility. Aug 27, 2010 hunterston, by the firth of clyde, is a coastal area in north ayrshire, scotland, which was the seat and estate of the hunter family. More than 350 cracks have been discovered in hunterston bs nuclear reactor, pushing the total over government safety limits. As an area of flat land adjacent to deep natural water, it has. Cracks found in nuclear reactor that could lead to the full evacuation of edinburgh and glasgow, edinburgh live, 26 apr 19,the hunterston b reactors in ayrshire are the oldest in europe, and dangerous cracks have been found, the two reactors at hunterston b nuclear power plant near ardrossan are 43 years old the oldest.
Prospective dose assessment of magnox, hunterston a power. A reactor at edf energys hunterston b nuclear power plant in scotland will remain offline for additional safety checks after cracks were found in its core, britains office for nuclear regulation. Four safety alerts at hunterston b nuclear plant spark. In march 2018 hunterston reactor 3 came offline to carry out routine. It currently generates up to mw and is due to operate until 2023. Safety was built in from the very foundations at hunterston and the devices ranged from the massive concreete sheilding round the reactor vessels, 9ft thick at the sides and 10ft 6in thick across the top, to the sensitive instrumnets which automatically and constantly sample the gas from the 3288 fuel element channels in search of the slightest trace of radioactive fission products released. Office for nuclear regulation onr quarterly site report. May 03, 2018 electricity output from the hunterston b nuclear power station could fall by 40% this year after dozens of cracks were discovered in one of the reactors. The main conclusion is that the psr, as submitted, has a number of significant shortfalls. Hunterston a nuclear pouer station wis a magnox nuclear pouer station locatit at hunterston in ayrshire, scotland, adjacent tae hunterston b an is currently bein decommissioned. Edfs hunterston b power station is situated immediately to the north. Over this period, the guidelines and experience of os art team. The food standards agency has assessed the potential impact of radioactive waste discharges from the magnox power station at hunterston in response to the operator.
In addition readers should be aware that the safety of any large scale industrial activity is an ongoing concern and must always be taken seriously. When hunterston b nuclear power station was operational, highly radioactive fuel burnt in its two reactors was regularly transported to sellafield for storage. Hunterston b power station explaining graphite our commitment to your safety safety has always been and remains our number one priority. I was british energys nuclear safety manager at the time. Nuclear regulator permits restarting of reactor 4 at. Hunterston b reactor 4 office for nuclear regulation news. As nuclear power stations like hunterston b age, fine cracks occur in the graphite bricks which.
Hunterston nuclear power station a beauty spot youtube. Both its nuclear reactors r3 and r4 have been out of operation due to. Hunterston b and hinkley point b nuclear safety concerns. Concerns after six safety incidents at hunterston nuclear. Electricity output from the hunterston b nuclear power station could fall by 40% this year after dozens of cracks were discovered in one of the reactors. The latest report from the uk government watchdog, the office for nuclear regulation onr, has revealed that hunterston failed to adequately account for radioactive materials last october. It is locatit aboot 6 miles 9 km sooth o largs an aboot 2. But accidents can happen, adversely affecting people and the environment. An investigation has been launched into four safety incidents at a nuclear power station in scotland. While this is entirely expected we take this very seriously and. As nuclear power stations like hunterston b age, fine cracks occur in the graphite. Permission requested under their arrangements made under licence condition 221, edf energy nuclear.
A secondary area, in closer proximity to the nuclear site, was flown with 250m spacing. Nfla concerned with reported safety and transport risks at. Hunterston is a nuclear power station in north ayrshire, close to glasgow, that during its 20year life generated a total of 73twh for the national grid. Allegations that scores of fire safety lapses could trigger a serious accident at the hunterston b nuclear power station in north ayrshire are under investigation by the uk governments nuclear. Hunterston b nuclear power station, west kilbride, ayrshire.
Prospective dose assessment of magnox, hunterston a. Cracks found at reactor at hunterston b nuclear power station. To minimize the likelihood of an accident, the iaea assists member states in applying international safety standards to strengthen nuclear power plant safety. Hunterston b nuclear reactor to restart voice for arran. Electricity generation at nuclear plant to fall by 40%. Explosion next to hunterston power station as emergency services race to ayrshire plant a component failed at the converter plant run by scottish power next to the hunterston b nuclear. Nov 19, 2015 cracks have been found in bricks around the core of a nuclear reactor at hunterston b power station.
Aug 01, 2018 the new safety case for the closed down reactor at hunterston will determine how the station would withstand an earthquake. The storm caused loss of the electricity grid connections to hunterston b nuclear power station in. Edf energy is expected to restart reactor 4 at its 40yearold hunterston b nuclear plant on the firth of. Edf energy ngl has recently presented a safety case to onr that aims to justify further. It is about 6 miles 9 km south of largs and about 2. Due to the inherent safety margins of the agr reactor design, there was no reactor damage, and the plant would. In our view, hunterston b nuclear power station needs to be closed for safety reasons, but this should not be lamented because. Hunterston b nuclear power station was commissioned in 1976 and was designed with an operating life of approximately 35 years, ie for closure to occur in 2011.
Technical note on safety problems at reactors 3 and 4 at. The main areas for concern appear to be plant alignment errors and a high defect backlog. In our view, hunterston b nuclear power station needs to be closed for safety. One reactor ran for less than four months in 2019, but both are now shut awaiting safety assessments of proliferating cracks in their graphite cores the large flasks used for the spent fuel shipments are meant to be returned empty. Over 350 cracks found in hunterston b nuclear reactor. The station has been accused by the government watchdog, the scottish environment protection agency sepa, of breaking six legal promises it made to prevent people and. Hunterston b is a nuclear power station on the west coast of scotland. Electricity generation at nuclear plant to fall by 40% after. Cracked reactor at hunterston b safe to operate again. Safety mechanisms at a canadian nuclear power station. The onr has given permission for reactor 4 at the hunterston b power station to return to service following an assessment of cracks in its. Two separate applications for variations to the extant authorisation for the disposal of solid radioactive.
News and information on nuclear power, nuclear energy, nuclear energy for sustainable development, uranium mining, uranium enrichment, nuclear generation. The area enclosed a 31km square, with hunterston nuclear power station at the centre, and was flown with a flight line spacing of 500m. Neither edf energy nor onr, the uk nuclear safety regulator, would ever. The following describes the key dates for the site.
Jun 23, 2018 the prolonged closure of nuclear reactor 3 at hunterston b in north ayrshire, uk. Agreement to npsc 7785 hunterston b power station office for. On 20 august 2019 onr gave permission for reactor four at hunterston b nuclear power station to restart, but only until december. Hunterston b reactor 3 2 may, 2018 edf nuclear generation ltd the nuclear site licensee for hunterston b power station in north ayrshire has announced that the hunterston b reactor 3 will remain offline to ensure that the longer term safety case reflects the findings of recent inspections. The decision by an operator to close a nuclear power station permanently will only be taken after all aspects affecting power station life have been studied, and the potential safety, technical and financial implications of further operation have been assessed. Hunterston b and hinkley b were originally expected to close in 2011 after 35 years of operation. Hunterston b power station is a nuclear licensed site o perating two advanced gascooled reactors, known as reactors 3 and 4. Seaweed has again blocked cooling and shut down scottish.
Nuclear expert warns of chernobyllike disaster at hunterston. Mar 11, 2019 technical note on safety problems at reactors 3 and 4 at hunterston b nuclear power station near ardrossan, scotland. Apr 08, 2017 hunterston b and hinkley point b nuclear safety concerns. From construction to closure in march 1990, the power station was owned and operated by south of scotland electricity board. It is currently operated by frances edf energy, and began producing electricity in 1976 hunterston bs two reactors have been shut down since 2018 because of safety concerns. Hunterston b pouer station is a nuclear pouer station in north ayrshire, scotland. The latest report from the uk government watchdog, the office for nuclear regulation onr, has revealed that hunterston failed to. The risks from western nuclear power plants, in terms of the consequences of an accident or terrorist attack, are minimal compared with other commonly accepted risks. Nuclear power plant safety, international safety standards. Hunterston nuclear power station chiefs insist its safe to. The nuclear power station at hunterston in north ayrshire has breached radiation safety rules and suffered five other problems with its safety. Safety fears as hunterstons ayrshire cracked nuclear.
The uks office for nuclear regulation has given permission for edf energy to restart reactor 4 at its hunterston b nuclear power plant in scotland. Hunterston b nuclear power station is based in north ayrshire and has been operational since 1976 and was due to be decommissioned in 2006, a date which has since been pushed back to at least 2023 making hunterston one of the oldest nuclear power stations in europe. This twinreactor site was the largest in the world when it opened in 1969 and is currently being decommissioned by magnox on behalf of the nuclear decommissioning authority. Hunterston a was a twin reactor magnox power station and was scotlands first civil nuclear generating station and at the time of opening the largest in operation anywhere in the world and generated around 360mw of electricity during its 25 year life the station was started producing electricity in 1964 and closed down in 1989. May 04, 2018 from the uk office for nuclear regulation onr. One of only two nuclear power stations in scotland, hunterston b generates enough low carbon electricity to power approximately 1. Agreement to npsc 7785 hunterston b power station return. Computer modelling and reconstructions will form part o. Project assessment report unique document id and onrhnb.
Project assessment report unique document id and onrhnbpar. Final report of the us nuclear regulatory commission on the advanced westinghouse ap nuclear reactor design. Safety was built in from the very foundations at hunterston and the devices ranged from the massive concreete sheilding round the reactor vessels, 9ft thick at the sides and 10ft 6in thick across the top, to the sensitive. Iaea pressed on hunterston restart safety case transceltic. One reactor ran for less than four months in 2019, but both are now shut awaiting safety assessments of proliferating cracks in their graphite cores. The prolonged closure of nuclear reactor 3 at hunterston b in. Office for nuclear regulation page 3 of 29 executive summary title agreement to npsc 7785 hunterston b power station return to service safety case for reactor 4 following core inspection results in 2018.
Station boss colin weir says it will be the most intensive investigation so far, looking 25 per cent into the reactor. This breaches the governments agreed safety limit and has prompted calls for a permanent shutdown. The tolerability of risk from nuclear power stations office for. To continue to operate safely and reliably the reactor plant requires examination, inspection maintenance and testing. Hunterston b nuclear power plant was shut down last year after it was found that reactor 3 had almost 400 cracks in it exceeding the operational limit. The number of manual and automatic reactor trips has fallen. Fire crews rushed to the site near the nuclear plant on thursday afternoon. Concerns after six safety incidents at hunterston nuclear plant. As a result, hunterston b reactor 3 remains shut down. Scotland at risk of chernobyl like accident due to cracks in.
Why hunterston b nuclear power station should not be restarted. It would probably be a hazard for the proposed moorside nuclear power station, as well. An application to dispose of radioactive waste under section of the radioactive substances act 1993 rsa 93 was received in march 2010 with minor amendments to the application made in october 2011. No one has been hurt in the incident and there was no danger to the public. Safety has always been and remains our number one priority. Purpose the purpose of these meetings was for british energy to advise. Construction of the site commenced in 1957, and electricity was first supplied to the grid in 1964. The visitor centre is closed due to the coronavirus epidemic. Hunterston nuclear power station has breached radiation safety rules and suffered five other problems with its safety systems. Safety of nuclear power reactors world nuclear association. Nuclear power plants are among the safest and most secure facilities in the world. It is capable of supplying electricity to approximately 1. Why hunterston b nuclear power station should not be. Edf energy gets goahead to restart hunterston b reactor 4.
Procedures manual for internal use by the staff of that agency. News environment cracked reactor at hunterston b safe to operate again, says nuclear regulation body a nuclear reactor at a power station will temporarily return to service after being shut down. Hunterston graphite inspections december 2018 edf energy. Hunterston b nuclear power station simple english wikipedia. Letter to the hunterston site stakeholder group 25 march 2020. Maintaining nuclear safety as our overriding priority is at the heart of all of our operations. The older reactor three at hunterston has an estimated 377 core cracks and has been shut down since 9 march 2018. Nuclear experts have warned of a chernobyllike catastrophic accident after more than 350 cracks were discovered in the power reactor at the hunterston plant in north ayrshire.
408 308 388 452 625 345 512 1025 264 105 1356 657 274 1364 1471 1226 1353 1398 466 11 1075 1517 157 877 1515 1093 1276 771 482 1218 771 1379 574 1164