Evacuation plans for Somerset nuclear site scaled back

Evacuation plans for one of Somerset’s nuclear sites have been scaled back ahead of formal decommissioning.

Every UK nuclear power station has a detailed emergency planning zone (DEPZ), with plans in place for all residents living within this zone to be evacuated in the event of a meltdown or other nuclear incident.

Hinkley Point B stopped generating electricity in 2022 (after 46 years of operation), was declared free of nuclear fuel in January 2026, and is now moving towards decommissioning.

Following a report by EDF Energy in March, Somerset Council has now agreed to remove the DEPZ around the former power station, claiming that “urgent protective actions are no longer justified”.

The DEPZ originally covered all land and properties within a 3.5km (just over two miles) from the Hinkley Point B site – which includes the village of Stogursey, the hamlets of Burton and Shurton, and a small section of the Steart Marshes nature reserve.

Under the agreed changes, the DEPZ will be removed in its entirely, with EDF Energy arguing it could “no longer justify” its inclusion following the defueling of the site.

The accompanying outline planning zone (OPZ – which covers the impact of an “extremely unlikely incident”) will be reduced from 30km (stretching beyond the M5 to Wellington and as far as Glastonbury and Langport) to 1km.

Neil Kimmins, from the council’s emergency planning, response and recovery team, said that a public consultation held in June had attracted only a minimal response from local residents.

He said in his written report: “People living near to Hinkley Point or who work in the area were asked questions about how close they resided to the site and how they felt the changes at Hinkley Point B may affect them and their properties.

“Attendance at the two drop-in sessions organised was relatively low, with eight members of the public attending the events, who were also offered the same opportunity to give any formal feedback via our online portal.

“As one local parish councillor said to the team: ‘Local people know about the lowering risk at Hinkley Point B and are simply not worried’.”

Councillor Leigh Redman, speaking on behalf of the Hinkley Point A & B site stakeholder group, said there was a widespread recognition that Hinkley Point B had “moved into a fundamentally different phase of its life” and these changes were therefore appropriate.

Mr Redman (who represents the Bridgwater North and Central division) added: “We do not object in principle to a proportionate revision of the off-site emergency planning arrangements, including the removal of the DEPZ and the establishment of a 1km outline planning zone.

“The proposal must not be presented, or understood, as simply ‘ending the emergency plan’. Hinkley Point B will remain a nuclear licensed site and it will remain regulated.

“The public will need clear, plain English information about what is changing, what is not changing, and who remains responsible for warning, informing and protecting communities if any incident were to occur.

“Community confidence depends not only on the technical assessment, but also on transparency, continuity and clarity.”