EDF shuts down four nuclear reactors in Britain on safety concerns

EDF Energy, the British unit of French energy giant EDF has shut down four nuclear reactors in two power plants in northern England as a precaution.

One reactor in Heysham 1 nuclear power station was shut down earlier in June for refuelling and investigations on one of its defective boilers.

EDF Energy said in a statement that it has taken the ''conservative decision'' to shut down Heysham 1 reactor 2 and Hartlepool reactors 1 and 2 that are of similar design over the next few days to carry out further inspections.

During a planned ultrasonic inspection in 2013, a boiler spine in Heysham 1 reactor 1 showed an unexpected result. The affected boiler quadrant was isolated and the rector was returned to service on reduced load in early 2014.

Each reactor at Heysham 1 and Hartlepool has eight boilers. According to the company, routine inspections of other boiler spines have not previously indicated any similar defects. 

The company has not specified an exact time frame for the downtime but expects the investigations to take about eight weeks.

"Until the results of the further inspections are known it is not possible to advise exact return to service dates for these four reactors, however, an initial estimate is that these investigations will take around eight weeks," the statement said.

EDF plans to operate the reactor 1 at Heysham 1 plant on reduced load when it is returned to service.

EDF's other power stations are not affected by this issue as they are of a different design, the company said.

The stoppage has come at a time when the UK government's energy policy of transition to low-carbon energy is centred on nuclear power, in stark contrast to Europe's largest economy Germany, which wants to phase out nuclear power following the 2011 Fukushima catastrophe in Japan.

In 2013, the UK government struck a £16-billion deal with EDF to build a 3200-MW nuclear power plant in Hinkley Point C in south western England,  the first new British nuclear power plant in 20 years, kick-starting a new era of nuclear power (See: EDF, Chinese firms to build nuclear plants in the UK: Report).

EDF plans to use two of French group Areva's third generation pressurised water reactor with net output of 1600 MW each. The plant is expected to go on stream in 2023.

British energy major Centrica, which owns 20-per cent stake in EDF Energy's existing nuclear operations said in a separate statement that the shutdowns would impact its current year earnings.

"On this basis, the resulting reduction in output from the affected nuclear power stations is currently estimated to reduce Centrica's earnings per share in 2014 by around 0.3 pence per share," Centrica said.