Businesses in North Lancashire are set to benefit from a major maintenance outage at Heysham 2 power station.
Operators at the EDF site have taken one of the station’s two reactors offline on to carry out a major maintenance programme worth more than £25 million. This planned 74-day outage is like an MOT for the unit, allowing work to be carried out that cannot take place while the reactor is at power.
It is a statutory requirement to carry out a maintenance outage every 3 years to allow continued generation of zero carbon electricity from the reactor.
More than 800 extra workers will join the 750 strong workforce for the maintenance period, which is known as a “statutory outage”.
EDF carries out a statutory outage on each of its reactors every three years. These are planned in advance with the National Grid to ensure that there is no impact on the national electricity supply. The other reactor at Heysham 2 and the two units at Heysham 1 are due to continue operating normally throughout the period.
During the outage workers will carry out more than 13,000 separate pieces of work – each carefully planned during the last two years of preparation. The biggest projects include gas circulator exchanges, turbine low pressure stage rotor replacement, and graphite inspections.
Station Director, John Sandford, said: “Heysham 2 marks its 35th year of generation this year and this will be the station’s 24th statutory outage, so we are very well practised at them. When EDF took over the operation of Heysham 2 it was due to stop generating in March 2023 so it is clear the continued investment in these outages, along with the hard work of the team here, have been vital in supporting continued generation at the site.
“Over the years, we have also built great relationships with the extra workers who come and support us during the outages. These workers will be staying in local hotels and B&Bs, eating in the area’s restaurants and using taxi firms. It is great that our investment in the power station can also benefit our local community."
Children's play area in Lancaster opens after £118k revamp
Illegal tobacco and counterfeit clothing seized during raid on Lancaster city centre shop
Lancaster bowling green fundraiser hits target
Six food businesses in Lancaster district fail allergen tests
LISTEN: Stars of Morecambe and Wise stage show can't wait for Eric's 100th birthday
LISTEN: Thousands enjoy Wray Fair finale to annual scarecrow festival
PHOTOS and VIDEO: Incredible sand art on Morecambe beach honours Sir David Attenborough
Row over Morecambe FC debt as ex-directors' firm issues winding-up petition against club
Morecambe Pride handed £3,500 grant boost
North West awards delight for talented stars of Lancaster musicals
Music festival set for Lancaster over Bank Holiday postponed due to ‘ongoing planning’
Lancashire Police Museum in Lancaster celebrates fourth anniversary
Police investigate alleged sexual exploitation at Lancaster flat
Beyond the Beat: Two arrests after assault in Lancaster city centre
Morecambe MP "appalled" as Lancashire set to quit refugee resettlement scheme
Replica RAF helicopter to go on display in Lancaster at three-day show
Life-size knitted mannequin pops up ahead of Eric Morecambe's 100th birthday
Stars play in celebrity football match in Morecambe in memory of brave teenager
Roses are red! Lancaster University students celebrate fifth straight victory
70 homes in Carnforth evacuated after bomb scare
