In 2022, Hunterston B became the first of EDF’s nuclear power stations to end generation and start decommissioning. Hinkley Point B is due to join its sister station in the first phase of decommissioning – defueling – in August 2022.
By 2028, EDF expects all of the seven AGR stations to have ended power generation and to be at various stages of decommissioning. Only one of the existing stations - Sizewell B (a pressurised water reactor) - will still be generating low carbon electricity.
On behalf of Government, EDF’s job will be to remove all the used fuel from the reactors and fuel ponds, which represents over 99% of the radioactive material from each site.
Once the reactors are emptied of fuel, the sites will be transferred, on a rolling basis, to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and its subsidiary Magnox, will carry out the rest of the decommissioning job. This involves removing all plant, equipment, services and buildings external to the reactor building. Early decommissioning preparation will start during defueling, such as waste preparation activities.