Hinkley Point A

Background

Hinkley Point A nuclear power station is a decommissioned Magnox nuclear power station situated in Somerset on the Bristol Channel coast. It is neighboured by Hinkley Point B, which ceased power generation in 2022, and Hinkley Point C, a new build site, both owned by EDF Energy. The ongoing decommissioning process is being managed by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority subsidiary, Magnox Ltd.

The nuclear power station came into service in 1965 and after 35 years of successful operation, being the first station in the Magnox fleet to generate more than 103TW hours of electricity, the twin reactor station closed in 2000, and was fuel free by 2005. The turbine hall was demolished in 2019.  

The site is now focused on the safe and secure retrieval, packaging and storing of its legacy waste. Priorities for the site include completing the commissioning of the plant required to process, treat, encapsulate, and store intermediate level waste on site until a UK geological disposal facility becomes available. Significant progress is also being made on asbestos hazard reduction from boiler houses and other areas across the site.

The site will then enter a care and maintenance stage until further radioactive decay occurs and the reactors can be demolished before final site clearance.