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INVESTMENT BOOST TO MAINTAIN UK NUCLEAR OUTPUT AT CURRENT LEVELS UNTIL AT LEAST 2026
EDF manages the UK ’ s eight nuclear power station sites , five that are generating ( Sizewell B , Torness , Heysham 2 , Heysham 1 , Hartlepool ) and three that are defueling ( Hunterston B , Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B ) and is issuing its annual fleet update on 9 January 2024 .
EDF ’ s plans to invest a further £ 1.3billion in the UK ’ s five generating nuclear power stations over the 2024-26 period will help sustain output at current levels , boost energy security and cut carbon emissions . The more positive fleet outlook , and major new build programme , means EDF plans to hire over 1,000 people in 2024 across its various UK nuclear businesses .
The future investment plan for the operating fleet comes 15 years after EDF ’ s acquisition of British Energy PLC , a period in which £ 7.5billion ( equivalent to £ 270 per household ) has already been invested in the UK ’ s eight nuclear power stations , alongside major investment into the Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C projects . Three of those eight stations are now in the defueling phase , the first stage of decommissioning .
Without EDF ’ s investment and expertise , Sizewell B power station would be the only operational nuclear power station in the UK today and nuclear would provide just 3 % of the UK ’ s power consumption rather than the 13 % it does account for . This would have meant even more reliance on gas , higher energy prices for customers and more carbon in the atmosphere .
Dr Mark Hartley , Managing Director of EDF ’ s Nuclear Operations business , said “ EDF has built a strong track record of safely operating the UK ’ s existing nuclear fleet , delivering over 35 % more clean power than initially forecast . Looking ahead , our aim is to maintain output from the four AGR stations for as long as possible and extend Sizewell B by a further 20 years , out to 2055 . Maximising output also helps preserve the critical nuclear skills and capabilities that will be valuable for future nuclear projects .”
EDF ’ s 15-year investment in the UK nuclear fleet has delivered the following benefits :
• The stations have generated over 35 % more electricity than initially forecast at the time of acquisition , through successful life extensions and improved operational performance
• This extra output ( 212TWh ) is enough to power all UK homes continuously for 2 years and has saved an additional 74million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere , compared to gas-fired power
• Sustained employment for over 4,000 critical operational and technical skills , while the UK ’ s new nuclear programme begins to take shape , as well as thousands of jobs in the supply chain . Over 500 people have transferred from operations to Hinkley Point C in the last decade .
• Additional tax payments to Government under the new Electricity Generators Levy ( EGL ) are estimated to be over £ 600million over the 2023-2025 period ; for 2023 they will be around £ 200million , with EDF ’ s average realised price at £ 90 per MWh .
• Following the scheduled end of generation at three stations across 2021-22 , nuclear power generation in 2023 totalled 37.3 TWh and the objective is to keep it around this level until at least 2026 . This medium-term forecast is 40 % higher than estimated last year and is driven by the decision in March 2023 to extend generating lifetimes at Hartlepool and Heysham 1 power stations ( combined 2.2GW capacity ) by a further two years , to a current forecast of March 2026 . Heysham 2 and Torness power stations ( 2.4GW ) are currently due to generate until March 2028 . These AGR lifetimes will be reviewed again by the end of 2024 and the ambition is to generate beyond these current forecasts , subject to plant inspections and regulatory approvals .
Sizewell B power station in Suffolk has so far generated over 250TWh in its 29 years of operation and has the potential to generate for at least a further 20 years beyond its current end of generation date of 2035 . EDF is investing in the station to allow a final investment decision to be taken on this during 2025 ; securing a sustainable commercial model is necessary to enable such a decision .
As well as the positive impact on energy security and carbon emissions , the revised output forecast is good news for nuclear skills as it helps to sustain many of the fleet ’ s 5,000 jobs for longer , especially in Lancashire and on Teesside which are also two of the Government ’ s eight designated sites for new nuclear development .
EDF is also responsible for defueling the AGR power stations , three of which have entered this phase since mid-2021 . Hunterston B is already more than halfway through defueling and Hinkley Point B is over a quarter of the way through ; both these stations are due to transfer to Nuclear Restoration Services ( formerly Magnox ) in 2026 for long term decommissioning . Dungeness B power station started defueling operations in May 2023 . Under the 2021 decommissioning agreement with the Government , EDF will defuel the stations and NRS will manage the longterm programme . Funding for this is provided through the Nuclear Liabilities Fund ( NLF ), which had a fund size of £ 20.4billion at 31 March 2023 .
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