EDF Energy has eight purpose-built visitor centres across the UK, which explore how electicity is created in a fun and interactive way. Our visitors can also learn more about the energy mix, what we are doing to make our business more sustainable and careers in the industry. 

The visitor centres all have interactive exhibition areas and a classroom which can be used for school visits. Individuals and groups can also pre-book a tour at each of our power stations - all of which is free of charge. The exhibition with the use of interactive models, touch screen computers and information panels explains how electricity is generated in our power stations. It also covers safety on site, radiation, nuclear waste and other forms of electricity generation.

Individuals and groups can also pre--book a tour at each of our power stations; just find your nearest EDF Energy power station and get in touch. Further information about the tours, contact details and opening hours are set out below.

 

 

Power stations with visitor centres

Power station - Dungeness B

Dungeness B is a nuclear power station on the south coast of England. It was the first Advanced Gas-cooled reactor to begin construction in the UK.

Power station - Hartlepool

  • Hartlepool is a nuclear power station on the north east coast of England. It is capable of supplying electricity to over 2 million UK homes.

Power station - Hinkley Point B

Hinkley Point B is a nuclear power station near Bridgwater in Somerset. The station was the first Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor to generate electricity to the grid in the UK.

Power station - Hunterston B

Hunterston B is a nuclear power station on the west coast of Scotland. It is capable of supplying electricity to approximately 1.5 million UK homes.

Power station - Sizewell B

Sizewell B is a nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. It is the UK’s only Pressurised Water Reactor.

Power station - Torness

Torness is a nuclear power station on the east coast of Scotland, 33 miles east of Edinburgh. It is capable of supplying electricity over 2 million UK homes.

Power station - West Burton B CCGT

West Burton B CCGT is a gas-fired power station in Nottinghamshire. It has three open-cycle gas turbines capable of generating enough electricity for approximately 1.5 million UK homes.

Power Stations - Heysham 1 and 2

Heysham 1 and Heysham 2 are nuclear power stations on the north west coast of England near Lancaster. Heysham is the only site in the UK to have two operating nuclear power stations. 

Please select the site you are interested in, using the tabs below:

Dungeness B

Dungeness B visitor centre

This visitor centre sits in the middle of the Dungeness National Nature Reserve, a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in Kent. It’s a diverse landscape, home to many unique plants, animals and birds.

The visitor centre has an interactive exhibition to help visitors understand more about nuclear power generation at Dungeness B and allow people to ask questions to our trained guides. We have a fantastic classroom facility and you can also pre-book a tour of the power station.

Tour information

  • The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • You will be accompanied by a trained station guide
  • The tour includes the reactor viewing gallery, the turbine hall and the cooling water intake
  • All tours must be booked three weeks in advance
  • Age limit for the tours is 8 years old

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 16.00

Contact details

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact us on:

Hartlepool

Inside the Hartlepool visitor centre

The Hartlepool centre also houses The Partnership for Nature where EDF Energy supports Natural England, Hartlepool Countryside Wardens and the Teesmouth Field Centre, all under one roof.

This unique centre has an interactive exhibition to help visitors understand more about nuclear power generation and classrooms where young people can get involved in a wide range of activities.

Hartlepool power station is a member of the Partnership for Nature. The borough of Hartlepool is fortunate to have habitats of international importance, a major resource for the area’s urban population. The marshes, tidal flats and beaches of its coastline are vital to thousands of wading birds and provide a home to sea birds, especially the little tern. Inland a variety of habitats from meadows, river valleys and woodland provide homes for a tremendous variety of wild flowers butterflies and moths.

The objectives of the partnership are:

  • Conservation: To protect the countryside and enhance valuable wildlife habitats
  • Recreation: To encourage people to use, enjoy and appreciate the area
  • Education: To promote opportunities for learning about the local environment. A key aim of the partners is to involve the local community in its activities.

Tour information

  • The tour takes approximately 2 hour and 30 minutes
  • You will be accompanied by a trained station guide

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 16.00

The centre will be closed on public holidays

Contact details

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact our visitor centre co-ordinator, Louise:

Heysham

Heysham visitor centre

Our Heysham site is unique to the business as it is our only location to have two operating nuclear power stations. Our new visitor centre supports both sites – with station tours taking place on Heysham 2.

The visitor centre, which opened in July 2013, has an interactive exhibition to help visitors understand more about nuclear power generation and allow people to ask questions to our trained guides. We have a fantastic classroom facility and you can also pre book a tour of the power station too.

Tour information

  • The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • You will be accompanied by a trained station guide
  • The tour includes the reactor viewing gallery, the turbine hall and the cooling water intake

Opening hours

  • Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 16.00
  • Saturday, 10.00 to 14.00

Contact details

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact our visitor centre co-ordinator, Kate.

Hinkley Point B

Hinkley Point visitor centre

Hinkley Point B was the first Advanced Gas-cooled reactor to generate in the UK and is also the home of our proposed new nuclear power station, which will be the first of its kind in the UK.

The visitor centre is located in the heart of the community in the Angel Place Shopping Centre in the local town of Bridgwater. An EDF Energy customer services representative is available in the visitor centre every Wednesday between 10:00 and 15.00 to answer customer queries.

Tour information

  • All tours start in the visitor centre before travelling to Hinkley Point B
  • The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • You will be accompanied by a trained station guide
  • The tour includes the reactor viewing gallery, the turbine hall and the control room simulator (subject to availability)

Opening hours

  • Monday to Friday, 09.30 to 16.00
  • Saturday, 09.30 to 13.00

Contact details

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact our visitor centre co-ordinators, Sherryl and Marie.

Hunterston B

Hunterston B visitor centre exhibition

Hunterston B is located on the North Ayrshire coast, approximately one hour west of Glasgow. One of only two nuclear power stations in Scotland, it generates enough low carbon electricity to power approximately 1.5 million homes.

This visitor centre was opened by Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing in August 2012. It has been awarded a 5 star rating from Visit Scotland, and in March 2016 received a Silver Award from the Green Tourism Board.  

Tour information

  • The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • You will be accompanied by a trained station guide
  • The tour includes the reactor viewing gallery and the turbine hall viewing gallery

Opening hours

  • Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 16.00
  • Saturday and Sunday, Subject to demand

Contact details

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact our visitor centre co-ordinator, Emma:

Sizewell B

Sizewell B site tour

Sizewell B is the UK’s only Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) and also the most modern nuclear power station in the UK. Our visitor centre offers a unique insight into this technology in our interactive exhibition, there is also a classroom facility and the opportunity to pre book a tour of the power station. 

The visitor centre is where you can find out more about our nuclear power station operations, how we generate electricity and more about EDF Energy.

  • The facility is free of charge
  • We are open to all, however you must be aged eleven years and over to go on a guided plant tour
  • EDF Energy operates a zero-tolerance to drugs and alcohol across all our sites, and our visitors are required to comply with our site policy.

Tour information

  • Tours are subject to operational circumstances and adverse weather – please ring us on your tour day if you are worried about the weather
  • Pre-arranged site tours are available. Groups will be able to come on site and explore electricity with us, seeing first hand how we use nuclear power to provide low carbon electricity for the UK. Your visit includes an exhibition for you to explore, a presentation and a site tour by our trained station guides.
  • Visits last approximately 3 hours. Half of this time will be a guided site tour on foot. Please advise us of any time constraints for your group
  • Booking is required approximately 4 to 6 weeks in advance due to the mandatory security checks being completed before you arrive. You will be required to bring an ‘in date’ passport or driving licence (photographic identification) with you on your visit. If you do not have either of the above, please enquire prior to your visit what identification will be acceptable
  • The plant tour is a walking tour, which is mostly outdoors. It is 2662 metres (1.65 miles) long and there are 190 steps on the tour
  • As this is an operational industrial site, all visitors are required to wear sensible footwear (laced up boots or training shoes with grip on the sole.) The footwear must cover the entire foot. Visitors are also required to wear full length trousers and a top with a full length sleeves
  • A warm coat is recommended in the winter months as we are on the coast and it can be cold and windy at times.

Contact details 

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact our visitor centre co-ordinator:

  • Email: sizewellbtours@edf-energy.com
  • Telephone: 01728 653974

Opening hours

  • Monday to Friday - 09.00 to 16.00
  • Saturday (between May and September) - 09.00 to 16.00
  • Sunday - closed

Torness

Torness visitor centre

Our award winning visitor centre at Torness power station can be found just off the A1 near Dunbar on the east coast of Scotland. 

Our centre was recently awarded five stars by VisitScotland for its standard of customer care and range of facilities. 

The visitor centre has an interactive exhibition to help visitors understand more about nuclear power generation and allow people to ask questions to our trained guides. We have a fantastic classroom facility and you can also pre book a tour of the power station too.

Tour information

  • The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. 
  • You will be accompanied by a trained station guide 
  • The tour includes the reactor viewing gallery and the turbine hall

Opening hours

  • Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 16.00
  • Saturday 10.00 to 16.00

Contact details

If you have any questions about the visitor centre or about taking a tour, please contact our visitor centre co-ordinator, Faith:

West Burton B CCGT

West Burton B CCGT

The centre is built on the site of EDF Energy’s newest power station – West Burton B Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT); located near to both Gainsborough and Retford.

In our centre you can learn more about the UK energy mix (coal, gas, nuclear and renewables), what we are doing to make our business more sustainable and careers in the industry.

The A+ carbon-neutral rated centre is even equipped with a solar pV system and rain water harvesting, to showcase the benefits of being green and get children thinking about tomorrow.

The centre caters for all ages from Key Stage 2 and above – and includes a classroom which can also be used for your visit. Educational tours of the power station are available too; these just need to be booked in advance to ensure a guide is available for you.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need to pre-book a site tour. Can't I just turn up?

To comply with the requirements of our Nuclear SIte Licence and our regulators, all tours must be booked in advance and visitors will be subject to some security clearance processes. This means tours must be booked at least three weeks in advance. You will also be required to bring photographic identity with you, preferably your passport, to complete the arrangements prior to going on the tour.

Is there anything I can’t bring on site with me?

Yes, to ensure we comply with our Nuclear Site Licence, there are restrictions on taking specific items on to site, including weapons, cameras, mobile telephones and video recording equipment. This applies to all staff and visitors. Please contact the relevant site to clarify whether you are permitted to take an object on to site.

I’m a foreign national - am I allowed on the site tours?

Foreign nationals may be allowed on the pre-arranged tours but are subject to additional security requirements and need prior approval from the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR). This will take a minimum of 15 working days. Please note that these requirements do not apply to children under the age of 16 who are visiting as part of an organised school party. Please contact the visitor centre of the site you wish to visit to make these arrangements.

How accessible is the pre-arranged tour?

Subject to the conditions of our Nuclear Site Licence, our visitor centres are open to everyone and are fully accessible to all. The walking tour of our sites can take approximately one to two hours to complete and may include lifts, narrow corridors and in some cases stairways, so may not be suitable for people with walking difficulties. Please check with our visitor centre staff prior to leaving on the tour if you have any concerns.

Will I be safe on a nuclear power station?

The safety of our staff, visitors and the communities around us is our number one priority. All our guides are fully trained to ensure that your visit will be both safe and enjoyable. During the tour you may hear alarm tests or announcements, these are part of our normal operations and your guide will keep you advised as to what they mean.

Do I need to wear special clothing?

No. Some of our sites require visitors to wear a high visibility jacket and in some cases hard hats, these will be provided for you before you leave on the tour. It is advisable to wear shoes that are comfortable for walking long distances.