HC Deb 24 June 1997 vol 296 cc453-4W
Mr. Baker

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list for each operating nuclear power station in Britain (i) its year of construction, (ii) the year it began supplying electricity to the national grid, (iii) its anticipated decommissioning date at year of construction, (iv) its actual decommissioning date, if now decommissioned and (v) its expected decommissioning date at the present time. [4638]

Mr. Battle

[holding answer 20 June 1997]: Dates for the start of construction, first commercial operation and date of shutdown, where applicable, for nuclear power stations operating in Britain are given in the 1997 World Nuclear Industry Handbook extracts of which are reproduced in the following table.

Nuclear stations are subject to constant review by the regulatory authorities through a closely monitored licencing system, which ensures that the companies owning these power stations can only operate them for as long as it is safe to do so. Anticipated lifetimes when these stations were first built were based on the technological and economic estimates made at that time and typically ranged between 20 and 30 years.

The decommissioning of nuclear power stations is undertaken by agreement with the regulatory authorities, the Nuclear Industries Inspectorate and the Environment Agency, to ensure that environmental, safety and economic concerns are fully taken into account.

Station Construction began Commercial operation Shutdown
Dungeness B1 1966 1985
Dungeness B2 1966 1988
Hartlepool 1 1968 1984
Hartlepool 2 1968 1985
Heysham 1–1 1970 1984
Heysham 1–2 1970 1985
Heysham 2–1 1980 1988
Heysham 2–2 1980 1989
Hinkley Point B3 1967 1978
Hinkley Point B4 1967 1976
Hunterston B1 1967 1976
Hunterston B2 1967 1977
Torness 1 1980 1988
Torness 2 1980 1989
Bradwell 1 1957 1962
Bradwell 2 1957 1962
Calder Hall 1 1953 1956
Calder Hall 2 1953 1957
Calder Hall 3 1953 1958
Calder Hall 4 1953 1959
Chalpelcross 1 1956 1959
Chalpelcross 2 1956 1959
Chalpelcross 3 1956 1960
Chalpelcross 4 1956 1960
Dungeness A1 1960 1965
Dungeness A2 1960 1965
Hinkley Point A1 1957 1965

Station Construction began Commercial Operation Shutdown
Hinkley Point A2 1957 1965
Oldbury 1 1962 1968
Oldbury 2 1962 1968
Sizewell A1 1961 1966
Sizewell A2 1961 1966
Wylfa A1 1963 1971
Wylfa A2 1963 1972
Sizewell B 1988 1995
Windscale
AGR 1958 1983 1981
Dounreay DRF 1966 1962 1977
Dounreay PFR 1967 1976 1994
Winfrith
Dragon n/a n/a 1976
Berkeley 1 1957 1962 1989
Berkeley 2 1957 1962 1988
Hunterston A1 1957 1964 1990
Hunterston A2 1957 1964 1989
Trawsfyndd 1 1959 1965 1993
Trawsfyndd 2 1959 1965 1993
Winfrith
SGHWR 1963 1968 1990