EDF extends life of UK's Heysham 1 and Hartlepool

The decision comes following a detailed review covering technical aspects like the condition of the boilers and the graphite cores as well as supply chain resilience and workforce planning. Decisions on end of generation dates for EDF's nuclear power plants in the UK are independent of the regulators or government and are taken by EDF's licensee board following recommendations from EDF Nuclear Generation Limited's Executive. Prior to this decision, Heysham 1 and Hartlepool were due to move into defueling in March 2028 based on a review in September 2025.

As well as supporting more than 1,000 jobs across the two sites for longer, extending the generating lives of these plants could boost nuclear output by 28 TWh over the two-year period, enough to power 8.4 million homes, EDF noted.

"We have been clear it is our ambition to generate from these stations for as long as it is safe and commercially viable to do so it is great to be able to confirm a further two-year extension for Heysham 1 and Hartlepool," said EDF's Managing Director of Nuclear Operations, John Munro. "The AGR stations have been the backbone of secure, zero-carbon generation in the UK for five decades. The nuclear fleet also has a key role in maintaining grid stability, which is so important as the overall system becomes led by renewables. Today's decision retains stable baseload, domestic generation, reducing reliance on imports during tighter periods."

When EDF acquired the fleet in 2009, all seven advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) stations were scheduled to be offline by 2023, but a series of life extensions mean four of those stations are still generating with three now in various stages of defuelling or decommissioning.
 
"When nuclear goes offline it is often replaced with gas generation," Munro said. "If we are serious about reducing the UK's reliance on gas and retaining system stability, it makes sense to keep these stations online to support energy security and our carbon targets."
 
According to EDF, keeping these plants online will retain around 12% of the UK's nuclear generation in the mix in 2028 and the volume of gas they could avoid in each year of the extension is equal to 25 Liquid Natural Gas cargoes or 20% of the LNG imports in 2025.

EDF said it will continue to keep AGR lifetimes under review to establish whether further life extensions can be achieved.

EDF manages the UK's seven nuclear power plant sites, five that are operating (Sizewell B, Torness, Heysham 2, Heysham 1 and Hartlepool) and two that have entered decommissioning (Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B). It took over the sites when it acquired British Energy in 2009. The company is also constructing the new Hinkley Point C plant in Somerset, and there are advanced plans for a replica of Hinkley Point C at Sizewell C in Suffolk.

The lifetimes of the Torness and Heysham 2 AGR plants were not reviewed as part of this process. These plants are expected to close in March 2030, as announced in December 2024.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the Sizewell B plant is set to get a 20-year lifetime extension after terms were agreed by the UK government and operator EDF. The pressurised water reactor, which came online in 1995, had an initial 40-year operating life to 2035.

Chris O'Shea, CEO of Centrica, which has a 20% share in the operating plants, said: "I'm delighted that Heysham 1 and Hartlepool will continue to play a key role in the UK's energy system for longer. These stations provide reliable, low-carbon electricity that supports Britain's energy security, protects skilled jobs and underpins a more resilient economy. Following the recent positive news on the life extension of Sizewell B, this further demonstrates the important role nuclear can continue to play in delivering the secure and dependable power the UK needs as demand for electricity grows."