WIREDGOV

Hinkley Point B nuclear power station in Somerset transferred from EDF to the NDA for decommissioning.

Today marks a further expansion of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group’s nationally important mission as Hinkley Point B nuclear power station in Somerset transferred from EDF to the NDA for decommissioning.

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

This marks an historic new chapter for the site, which was the first British-designed Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor to export electricity to the national grid back in 1976. When it finished generating some 46 years later, in 2022, it had produced enough zero-carbon electricity to power every home in the South West of England for 33 years.

Hinkley Point B will continue to provide well-paid skilled jobs within the local community with around 250 people working on site transferring from EDF to NRS bringing their knowledge and experience to deliver the safe, secure decommissioning of the site.

NDA Group CEO, David Peattie, said:

As our mission continues to expand, we’re proud to draw on decades of expertise, applying proven skills, innovation and experience to safely decommission the AGR fleet.

As we warmly welcome our new colleagues to the NDA group it’s 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 Point B, which has played a key role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and will continue to support around 250 skilled jobs as it enters safe decommissioning.

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.

Hinkley Point has long been a central part of the UK’s nuclear energy industry. The A site began generating electricity in 1965 and was joined by the B station in 1976. Today work is ongoing, on land adjacent to these two stations, to build Hinkley Point C. 

Between 1976-2024 Hinkley Point B generated more than £15bn worth of economic value to the UK. Decommissioning continues to generate significant economic benefits, economic analysis shows that in 2024/25 Hinkley Point A was estimated to contribute around £31 million in economic value for the local authority, rising to £61 million for the wider UK.

Rob Fletcher, NRS CEO, said:

We’re proud to welcome our new colleagues from EDF into the NDA group. We already have deep local experience at Hinkley through our work at Hinkley Point A, where strong relationships have been built and significant progress has been made in restoration, innovation and preparing facilities for their next chapter.

As we welcome Hinkley Point B and our new colleagues, 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.

John Munro, Managing Director of EDF Nuclear Operations, said:

Hinkley Point 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.

Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, said:

I am delighted to see the NDA and NRS putting my constituents first and at the heart of the Hinkley Point B transfer. Their commitment to making the NDA group a great place to work is reflected in the way they have listened to colleagues, offered reassurance and provided practical support. This is helping my constituents approach the site’s next chapter with confidence and ensuring valuable skills remain in our community.

Cllr Leigh Redman, Chair of the Hinkley Point A & B Site Stakeholder Group, said:

On behalf of the Hinkley Point Site Stakeholder Group, I would like to thank EDF and the generations of employees, contractors and partners who have contributed to Hinkley Point B’s remarkable legacy.

The transfer to NRS is not an ending but a transition into a new phase. Decommissioning is a complex, long term undertaking that requires the same commitment to safety, professionalism and environmental responsibility that characterised the station throughout its operational life. NRS brings significant expertise in nuclear decommissioning and will now lead the work to safely manage the site’s future.

The SSG will continue to provide independent public scrutiny, ensuring that the voices of local communities are heard and that stakeholders remain informed as decommissioning progresses.

This milestone is the culmination of five years of partnership and collaboration to reach this point with government, the NDA group, EDF, Office for Nuclear Regulation, Environment Agency and Nuclear Liabilities Fund working together to prepare the site for transfer.

Defueling the reactor to prepare for decommissioning was completed on time and on budget, and over the three years more than 4,900 elements of spent fuel were removed and packaged into specially engineered, transportable fuel flasks by NDA subsidiary Nuclear Transport Solutions and taken to Sellafield, the NDA group’s largest site, for safe storage. 

Hinkley Point B is the second AGR site to transfer to the NDA for decommissioning following Hunterston B earlier this year in April. Other sites that are also planned to transfer are Dungeness B before the end of the decade, and Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Heysham 2 and Torness, as they complete their generating life.

Melissa Hope, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Liabilities Fund, said:

The transfer of Hinkley Point B marks another significant milestone in the UK’s nuclear programme and demonstrates what can be achieved through effective partnership working across government, EDF, the NDA group and the wider regulatory community. NLF’s ring-fenced funding will support the ongoing decommissioning of the station, helping to sustain the skilled jobs, specialist expertise and local supply chains needed to deliver this nationally important mission.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with NRS as decommissioning progresses, providing confidence that funding will be available when needed and empowering those delivering the work to drive innovation and efficiency.