Transfer complete: Hunterston B ownership change signals new phase for site

Hunterston B nuclear power station has taken the next step in its decommissioning journey by becoming the first Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) station to successfully transfer into UK Government ownership.  

Just after midnight on Wednesday 1^st April 2026 the North Ayrshire site was transferred from EDF to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). 

The site will now be managed by the NDA’s subsidiary Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), which is also decommissioning the neighbouring Hunterston A site. The arrangement was agreed in June 2021, when EDF signed a contract with the UK Government to defuel all seven AGR stations across the UK before their transfer to the NDA. 

EDF’s Decommissioning Director, Paul Morton, said: “I am delighted we have been able to work with NRS and the NDA to deliver this transfer on schedule. 

“Hunterston B has been an integral part of the EDF family. It is a fantastic site and while we will miss the station and its people, we know they are entering an exciting new chapter in their story, and we are looking forward to seeing them successfully delivering decommissioning.​” 

Hunterston B has contributed more than £13.3bn to the UK economy and has been a source of well-paid, skilled jobs in North Ayrshire for more than 50 years. This will continue with 246 people transferring from EDF to NRS to carry out decommissioning. 

Paul continued: “This has been a first-of-a-kind project, with people at its heart. We have worked hard with staff and unions to support everyone on site over the past four years and almost every person has been able to secure the outcome they wanted, with most continuing to work at Hunterston B or staying with EDF.” 

During its operating lifetime Hunterston B produced enough low carbon electricity to power every home in Scotland for more than 30 years and it was the first AGR site to defuel.  Defueling was also delivered on time and to budget using funds from the Nuclear Liabilities Fund (NLF), a ring-fenced £20.7 billion fund set up in 1996 specifically to pay for the decommissioning of the current nuclear fleet.    

NLF Chief Executive, Melissa Hope, said: “This is a significant achievement for the team at Hunterston B as well as the many individuals at EDF, NRS and the rest of the NDA group whose collaboration and commitment have made this first-of-a-kind transfer happen. 

“It marks the start of the next stage of the important work of decommissioning.

“NLF is proud of its role in supporting EDF’s successful defueling following the end of generation at Hunterston B.  The NLF funding model provides certainty that funds are now available to support safe and secure site remediation.  We look forward to working with the station, NRS, the NDA and HM Government going forward to ensure that NLF funds are used to support planning for and innovation in the decommissioning programme, with the aim of this important national task being delivered efficiently and cost-effectively.”  

Focus now turns to Hinkley Point B in Somerset which is expected to be the second AGR station to transfer, in the Autumn of 2026.  

 For more information, contact: fiona.mccall@edf-energy.com  

Notes to editors:   

• EDF owns and operates seven nuclear power stations in the UK. Two have ended generation (Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B) and five are generating (Torness, Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Heysham 2 and Sizewell B). Six of the stations are AGRs and Sizewell B is a Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR).    

• Hunterston B stopped generating in January 2022. The site was declared free of all spent fuel in April 2025.    

• The Nuclear Liabilities Fund is made up of operational contributions from EDF, money from the sale of British Energy to EDF, investment returns and money from the UK Government. You can find out more about the fund: https://www.nlf.uk.net/    

• The agreement signed with the UK Government will see EDF defuel all seven AGR stations before they transfer into the ownership of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) for its subsidiary NRS to carry out the rest of the decommissioning. You can read more here.