Hunterston B site declared nuclear-free as all spent fuel removed

All spent nuclear fuel has been removed from the site of the former Hunterston B power station, leading to it being declared nuclear-free.

The site in North Ayrshire provided power for nearly 46 years before it was shut down in 2022.

Over the past three years engineers have removed 4,880 elements of spent fuel from Hunterston B, packaging them into large flasks before transport to Sellafield in Cumbria for long-term storage.

Owners say the nuclear power plant saved 172 million tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere compared to gas-fired power during its time in operation.

The focus is now on preparing the site for transfer from current operators EDF to Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) for further decommissioning.

There is currently one nuclear power station active in Scotland, at Torness in East Lothian, which is due to close in 2030.

Hunterston B station director Andy Dalling said: “Defueling the station on time and on budget has been down to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved, and we are proud to have been able to deliver such an exceptional performance.

“We are now fully focused on getting the station ready to transfer from EDF to NRS for decommissioning in around a year’s time.

“Deconstruction of the site will take place over the coming years, with most of the people working here today staying at the site to carry out that job.”

Hunterston B is the first in the UK’s fleet of seven advanced gas-cooled reactors to be completely defueled.

UK energy security minister Lord Hunt said: “Hunterston B produced the equivalent of enough clean power for all of Scotland’s homes for over 30 years while supporting thousands of jobs – that’s why we are backing new nuclear as part of our Plan for Change to get Britain building and become a clean energy superpower.

“Quick and effective decommissioning of old nuclear sites is vital for a successful nuclear industry, and today’s milestone demonstrates the UK’s leadership in this field.”

The SNP has a longstanding opposition to new nuclear power being constructed in Scotland but other parties, including Labour and the Conservatives, have called for it to pave the way for new technology such as small modular reactors.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The announcement that Hunterston B has achieved fuel free status is a positive step in the safe and secure cleanup of Scotland’s nuclear legacy.

“We welcome the contribution made by those in the industry who have worked tirelessly to achieve this milestone on time and without delay.

“Earlier this year the Scottish National Investment Bank invested £20m in the development of XLCC’s new High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable manufacturing facility at the former Hunterston Terminal site.

“This is part of the Scottish Government’s strategic investment of up to £500m over five years to harness the enormous potential of our offshore wind industry.

“Investments like this will not just help increase Scotland’s offshore wind manufacturing capability, but support hundreds of high-quality green jobs and drive new growth across local, regional and national economies as part of our net-zero transformation.”