Power stations mark million hours of operation

This week saw the two turbines at EDF Energy’s Hunterston B in Scotland and two at its sister station, Hinkley Point B in Somerset clock up one million hours of operation.

The two nuclear power stations started generating electricity thirty seven years ago, with both stations starting up in February 1976. Together, they have now supplied an amazing one million hours of electricity over their lifetimes.

Colin Weir, station director at Hunterston power station, said: “We keep ticking off the milestones here at Hunterston as we continue to produce low carbon electricity.

“But to hit a million hours of production is some achievement.”

Plant manager at Hinkley B, Peter Evans, said: “It is a great achievement for Hinkley and Hunterston to have produced one million hours of low carbon electricity.

“The professionalism of our employees and the investment in our plant means that together the two stations can go on supplying enough electricity to power around three million homes across the UK.”

Hunterston B and Hinkley Point B recently saw their operating lifetimes extended from 2016 to 2023 which will secure the future of the sites’ 1200 staff.

The sites’ wage bill is more than £80 million per year, which is ploughed back into the local economy. The stations also employ 400 permanent contractors, and 50 apprentices.

Since starting generating, the two stations have between them avoided the emission of around 350 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.* This is equivalent to removing all of the passenger cars from UK roads for over 5 years.

* compared with the current UK generation mix.