SECURITY is being beefed up for the Hinkley Point B nuclear power station which is about to enter its decommissioning stage.

De-fuelling of Hinkley B was completed in January after three years and the site will shortly be handed over to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) for the final stage of deconstruction.

But first, EDF Energy Generation wants to extend the site’s security building with a 145 sq ft single-storey extension taking up three spaces in the adjacent car park.

EDF environmental consents co-ordinator Leodhais Macpherson said: “The development will increase the area of the existing security control room to allow for provision of further security equipment.

“The new extension has been sensitively designed to be sympathetic to the existing site, with no detrimental impact and will not harm the character of the surrounding area.”

Mr Macpherson said a modular building would be used for the extension and bolted on to the existing structure to increase the floor space by about 10 per cent.

He said: “The works are necessary in preparation of the decommissioning works that will be undertaken at the site to provide an additional office space.”

Somerset Council planning officer Tessa Bond, who granted planning permission for the extension, said Stogursey parish councillors supported the application and there had not been any objections to it.

Ms Bond said the site was within the power station complex and the development was of small scale, well screened by existing buildings, and compatible with existing build features.

Hinkley B began generating power from its two advanced gas-cooled reactors in 1976 and was originally planned to have an operating lifespan of up to 30 years.

However, it exceeded expectations and continued supplying electricity until its final shutdown in August, 2022, after a total of 46 years.