Letter to the Hunterston Site Stakeholder Group - 24 September 2020

Dear SSG Member,

As a member of our community, I like to keep you updated on any developments at the power station.

I am pleased to confirm that the ONR has approved the return to service of Reactor 4 following a rigorous assessment of our safety case.

I welcome the decision and preparations are underway on site to bring the reactor back online over the coming days. 

Having both reactors generating will mean that Hunterston B can do the important job of making low carbon electricity, helping to reduce reliance on gas-powered generation, until the site moves into defuelling.

We have carried out detailed inspections and modelling of the reactor and the resulting safety case has been subject to extensive scrutiny and testing, by EDF and independently. We have been able to demonstrate that even in the most extreme conditions our reactors will safely shutdown, including in the event of an earthquake larger than ever experienced in the UK.

Reactor 4 has been given permission to operate for a period of approximately six months. We plan to seek permission for a further run of six months for both reactors before generation ends no later than 7 January 2022.

I was pleased to be able to update many of you directly about the return to service of Reactor 3 at the SSG meeting at the start of the month, albeit over Zoom. I look forward to doing the same again at the next meeting. However, in the meantime, if you do have any questions about Reactor 4 or operations at the site more generally, please do get in touch.

You can ring the Station on 01294 826000 and ask for our Communications Officer, Nikki Thomson who will be able to make arrangements for you to speak to me.

Yours sincerely, 

Paul Forrest
Station Director