UK Nuclear Plants to Stay Online Longer in Clean-Power Boost

(Bloomberg) -- Four UK nuclear reactors are going to stay online for longer than expected as the country works toward decarbonizing the grid. 

The extensions, announced by a unit of operator Electricite de France SA and partner Centrica Plc, include a one-year reprieve for the Hartlepool and Heysham 1 sites that were previously scheduled to shut in 2026. The Heysham 2 and Torness power stations will be kept open until 2030 instead of closing in 2028.

Nuclear power is viewed as critical to the UK government’s net-zero goals and its ambition to reach a clean power grid by the end of the decade. The nation is increasingly relying on wind and solar to meet demand but needs back-up power when output from those sources drops significantly. 

“In an energy system that is becoming ever more intermittent, baseload power generation that doesn’t depend on the sun shining and the wind blowing is essential to keeping the lights on,” Centrica’s Chief Executive Officer Chris O’Shea said in a statement. Centrica owns a 20% share in the sites.

The move highlights the government’s struggles in reaching its climate goals. It also comes after the UK delayed the fundraising process for the new Sizewell C nuclear plant to spring 2025 from a previous plan to complete the deal by the end of the year. 

Currently the only nuclear power station under construction in the country is Hinkley Point C, which has been repeatedly delayed and is expected to cost as much as £47.9 billion in current terms. EDF is also holding talks with investors over funding for Hinkley, as it grapples with the ballooning cost of the project.

The four reactors being extended, equivalent to 4.6 gigawatts of capacity, use so-called advanced gas-cooled technology to operate. Inspections of their graphite cores in 2024 informed the decision to extend their lifetimes, according to a separate statement from EDF.

At the same time, EDF will spend an additional £1.3 billion ($1.6 billion) on its nuclear fleet from 2025 to 2027 on top of the £8 billion already invested since 2009. The company is also planning a 20-year life extension for Sizewell B, from 2035 to 2055. A final investment decision on this has not been made yet.

(Adds context on UK nuclear from 5th paragraph)

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