EDF complies with Heysham 1 improvement notice
29 April 2024
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has confirmed that EDF Energy Nuclear Generation has complied with an improvement notice that the regulator issued following an incident in December 2023 at the Heysham 1 Power Station in Lancashire.
Image: ONR
The incident occurred on 23 December 2023, while Reactor 1 was being returned to service when a valve controlling the flow of superheated steam from the reactor failed, resulting in a steam leak. Nobody was injured as a result of the incident, and there was no risk to nuclear safety, the public or the environment.
At the time of issuing the improvement notice, Mike Webb, ONR’s Superintending Inspector for Operating Reactors, said: “Our investigation found that EDF had failed to ensure that the valve system was properly maintained and, by failing to do this, EDF had put at risk the safety of their employees.
ONR issued the improvement notice to EDF under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) Regulation 12 (Maintenance) and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Section 2(1).
Confirming that EDF had now complied with the notice, Mike Webb said: “Since serving the notice we have worked closely with EDF and are satisfied that they have complied with the notice by addressing this safety shortfall. The work was completed before the return to service of the two reactors at Heysham 1.”
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