Hartlepool Power Station was due to close in March 2028 but operators EDF have now announced that it will continue producing power until March 2030.
And that is good news for the 700 employees, from in and around the town, who work at the plant.
Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash described it as a “real boost” for the town.
He said: “Hartlepool is now on course to reach almost 50 years of continuous nuclear generation. That’s an extraordinary achievement and one our whole town should be proud of.”
Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, added: “The significance of this cannot be understated – given the UK’s exposure to volatile gas prices and the need to protect households by providing baseload power.
Today’s announcement is also a reminder that, as our existing fleet approaches retirement, we must move at pace on new nuclear, taking the decisions needed now to deliver the next generation of reliable, low-carbon electricity.”
EDF has given an update on plans to install the UK’s first Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) in Hartlepool, which developers said would provide a “similar” amount of electricity to the current plant’s power output.
The company said an application to enter the generic design assessment had been submitted in June, describing it as the “first critical step in the UK licensing process.”
