Hartlepool
Visitor Centre

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 security clearance processes. All tours must be booked at least three weeks in advance; note some sites require four weeks notice. Please check the site individual requirements. You will be required to bring photographic identification with you, preferably your passport, to complete the arrangements prior to going on the tour. If you do not have any photographic identification, please contact the visitor centre team to understand what identification will be acceptable. Those arriving without acceptable identification will not be permitted on to the station tour. 

Yes, to ensure we comply with our Nuclear Site Licence, there are restrictions on taking specific items on to site. This includes (but not exclusive to) weapons, cameras, mobile telephones, video recording equipment and all GPS tracking devices – including fitness watches. 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. 

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 process takes a minimum of 4 weeks. 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.

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 takes approximately one to two hours to complete and may include lifts, narrow corridors and in some cases stairways; this may not be suitable for people with walking difficulties. Please check with our visitor centre staff prior to your visit if you have any mobility concerns or medical conditions the site should be aware of. Where possible, arrangements will be made to accommodate all visitors on a tour of the 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.

It is a requirement that arms and legs are fully covered when attending a tour. Shoes should be flat and secure, heels or open-toed shoes are not permitted. A warm coat is recommended in the winter months; many of our sites are on the coast, and it can be cold and windy at times. Some of our sites require visitors to wear additional safety clothing such as a high visibility jacket and hard hat; these will be provided for you before you leave on the tour.