A FURTHER expansion of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group’s nationally important mission was marked on Thursday (October 1) as Hinkley Point B nuclear power station transferred from EDF for decommissioning.

The site will be managed by NDA subsidiary Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), which is already decommissioning the neighbouring Hinkley A station.

The move took five years and marks an historic new chapter for the site, which was the first British-designed Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) to export electricity to the national grid in 1976.

When it finished generating 46 years later, in 2022, it had produced enough zero-carbon electricity to power every home in the Westcountry for 33 years.

Hinkley B will continue to provide well-paid skilled jobs within the local community with about 250 people working on site transferring from EDF to NRS.

NDA group chief executive David Peattie said: “As our mission continues to expand, we are proud to draw on decades of expertise, applying proven skills, innovation, and experience to safely decommission the AGR fleet.

“As we welcome our new colleagues to the NDA group it is a reminder that decommissioning underpins the nuclear energy sector.

“We are safely cleaning up sites and managing waste, preparing land for alternative uses, as well as sustaining national capability, supporting local communities, and giving confidence that the UK will manage its nuclear legacy responsibly.”

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Today’s transfer marks an important new chapter for Hinkley B, which has played a key role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

“As we deliver the biggest expansion of nuclear power in a generation, we are backing both the skilled jobs needed to decommission our historic sites safely and the 42,000 jobs helping build the next generation of clean, homegrown nuclear power.”

NRS chief executiveRob Fletcher said: “We already have deep local experience at Hinkley through our work at Hinkley A, where strong relationships have been built and significant progress has been made in restoration, innovation, and preparing facilities for their next chapter.

“We look forward to working together across both sites to share experience, strengthen local capability, and deliver safe, secure, decommissioning for the benefit of the community and the wider UK nuclear mission.”

EDF nuclear operation managing director John Munro said: “Hinkley B was the first nuclear station of its type to begin generating in 1976.

“All those that followed, and indeed this industry, have learned a huge amount from all it has accomplished.

“It has been a trailblazer and now it, and the dedicated teams who have made it the national asset it is, have a new task at hand, one I am sure they will deliver to the highest standard and with the ceaseless professionalism we have all benefitted from over the last decades.”

Nuclear Industry Association chief executive Tom Greatrex said: “Hinkley B is a powerful example of the contribution nuclear power has made to this country.

“It generated more clean British power in its time than any other station in our history, and it provided good jobs and billions in investment for local communities.”