HC Deb 22 June 1992 vol 210 cc60-1W
Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the age of each of the Magnox nuclear power stations; and at what age each of the stations will be decommissioned.

Mr. Eggar

Nuclear Electric's seven operating Magnox stations first produced power in the following years:

Year
Bradwell 1962
Dungeness A 1965
Hinckley Point A 1965
Trawsfynydd 1965
Sizewell A 1965
Oldbury 1967
Wylfa 1971

A further Magnox station at Berkeley is currently being decommissioned.

The date at which any operating Magnox station will be decommissioned is a commercial matter for Nuclear Electric plc, subject to the views of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish an independent assessment of the safety and life expectancy of the Magnox reactors.

Mr. Eggar

I understand that is the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) normal practice to publish the independent nuclear installations inspectorate's (NH) findings of its assessment of operators' long term safety reviews (LTSRs) of Magnox nuclear power stations. The NII's findings on the LTSRs for Berkeley, Bradwell, Calderhall, Chapel Cross, Hinkley Point A, and Hunterston A have been published. The HSE propose to publish the Nil's findings on the LTSRs for Dungeness A, Oldbury, Sizewell A, Traswfynydd, and Wylfa in due course.