This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dungeness-nuclear-power-station-shut-down-reactor-over-fear-sea-defences-were-not-as-robust-as-previously-thought-9200494.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Exclusive: Dungeness nuclear power station quietly taken offline for five months over fears of Fukushima-style flood disaster | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Dungeness nuclear power station on the Kent coast shut down one of its reactors for five months last year because of a Fukushima-style flood scare, it has emerged. | The Dungeness nuclear power station on the Kent coast shut down one of its reactors for five months last year because of a Fukushima-style flood scare, it has emerged. |
| EDF, the Big Six energy company that operates the power station, closed the reactor on 22 May last year to work on a new protective wall after alerting the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) that it faced a so-called category 1 incident, described as having “the highest possible safety significance”. | EDF, the Big Six energy company that operates the power station, closed the reactor on 22 May last year to work on a new protective wall after alerting the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) that it faced a so-called category 1 incident, described as having “the highest possible safety significance”. |
| The closure of the 550-megawatt reactor B - which generates enough power for about 750,000 homes - followed an internal EDF report which found that the shingle bank sea defences at Dungeness were “not as robust as previously thought” raising fears that they could be overwhelmed in extreme weather, according to the ClickGreen website, which first reported the closure. A breach of the sea defence could lead to catastrophic flooding of the advanced gas-cooled nuclear reactors and trigger a meltdown. | The closure of the 550-megawatt reactor B - which generates enough power for about 750,000 homes - followed an internal EDF report which found that the shingle bank sea defences at Dungeness were “not as robust as previously thought” raising fears that they could be overwhelmed in extreme weather, according to the ClickGreen website, which first reported the closure. A breach of the sea defence could lead to catastrophic flooding of the advanced gas-cooled nuclear reactors and trigger a meltdown. |
| EDF notified the ONR in December 2012 that it “no longer had confidence” in its primary sea defence. It committed to boosting flood protection on the site by “taking due cognisance of the need for a margin against more severe events”, according to ONR documents. | EDF notified the ONR in December 2012 that it “no longer had confidence” in its primary sea defence. It committed to boosting flood protection on the site by “taking due cognisance of the need for a margin against more severe events”, according to ONR documents. |
| This involved upgrading the defence from one that could protect against a 1 in 1,000-year weather event to one that occurs every 10,000 years. | This involved upgrading the defence from one that could protect against a 1 in 1,000-year weather event to one that occurs every 10,000 years. |
| ONR said at the time it would monitor EDF's programme of safety improvements at Dungeness B “until permanent engineered protection is in place”, threatening “enforcement action if necessary”. | ONR said at the time it would monitor EDF's programme of safety improvements at Dungeness B “until permanent engineered protection is in place”, threatening “enforcement action if necessary”. |
| According to a briefing to local community representatives by the station director, EDF boosted the flood defences early last year. However, a further review of the site in May concluded that “the flood protection work already completed needed to be extended and improved to further enhance the plant resilience to this extreme hazard,” the station director said. | According to a briefing to local community representatives by the station director, EDF boosted the flood defences early last year. However, a further review of the site in May concluded that “the flood protection work already completed needed to be extended and improved to further enhance the plant resilience to this extreme hazard,” the station director said. |
| The enhancement includes a new permanent wall around the site which EDF expects to finish by the end of this month. | The enhancement includes a new permanent wall around the site which EDF expects to finish by the end of this month. |
| Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “With Dungeness perched on shifting shingles next to rising seas, this is a stark warning of the risks climate change poses to our infrastructure”. | Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “With Dungeness perched on shifting shingles next to rising seas, this is a stark warning of the risks climate change poses to our infrastructure”. |
| “It's astounding that the shut-down of EDF's reactor wasn't better publicised and calls into question the transparency of the nuclear industry,” Mr Shrubsole added. | “It's astounding that the shut-down of EDF's reactor wasn't better publicised and calls into question the transparency of the nuclear industry,” Mr Shrubsole added. |
| The meltdown at Fukushima occurred after a 14-metre tsunami waves overwhelmed the plant's 10m high seawall, flooding the rooms which housed the emergency generators needed to ensure the cooling systems stayed on to protect the reactors from melting down. | The meltdown at Fukushima occurred after a 14-metre tsunami waves overwhelmed the plant's 10m high seawall, flooding the rooms which housed the emergency generators needed to ensure the cooling systems stayed on to protect the reactors from melting down. |
| A spokeperson for the Department for Energy and Climate Change declined to comment saying it was a matter for EDF. | A spokeperson for the Department for Energy and Climate Change declined to comment saying it was a matter for EDF. |
| Martin Pearson, station manager at Dungeness B, said: “The recent adverse weather has had no impact on existing infrastructure and the power station has operated normally in recent high tides and stormy weather.” | Martin Pearson, station manager at Dungeness B, said: “The recent adverse weather has had no impact on existing infrastructure and the power station has operated normally in recent high tides and stormy weather.” |
| An EDF spokesperson added: “We are continuously updating and improving the plant to ensure it is operating safely. We conservatively took the decision to take both reactors offline in order to undertake additional protection to cover extremely rare events, ones which would happened every one in 10,000 years”. | An EDF spokesperson added: “We are continuously updating and improving the plant to ensure it is operating safely. We conservatively took the decision to take both reactors offline in order to undertake additional protection to cover extremely rare events, ones which would happened every one in 10,000 years”. |
| Separately, a landmark new report on the case for building new nuclear power stations in the UK finds concludes that they could play a significant role - but only if some key hurdles can be overcome. | Separately, a landmark new report on the case for building new nuclear power stations in the UK finds concludes that they could play a significant role - but only if some key hurdles can be overcome. |
| The report finds that political consensus is “particularly critical” because the development and construction of power stations often spans two or three governments and says it's essential for politicians to work towards a consensus. | The report finds that political consensus is “particularly critical” because the development and construction of power stations often spans two or three governments and says it's essential for politicians to work towards a consensus. |
| It also found there was potential for the UK to construct “multiple nuclear power stations alongside a substantial amount of other infrastructure” but identified dealing with nuclear waste as a big problem. | It also found there was potential for the UK to construct “multiple nuclear power stations alongside a substantial amount of other infrastructure” but identified dealing with nuclear waste as a big problem. |
| “The UK has amassed a large stock of long-lived nuclear waste from 60 years of nuclear weapons development and power generation at 39 reactors. Although the Government has developed a long-term strategy for managing this waste, efforts to identify a site for a Geological Disposal Facility have failed to date. Having stalled, the Government must urgently revisit the process for resolving a crucially important challenge,” the report said. | “The UK has amassed a large stock of long-lived nuclear waste from 60 years of nuclear weapons development and power generation at 39 reactors. Although the Government has developed a long-term strategy for managing this waste, efforts to identify a site for a Geological Disposal Facility have failed to date. Having stalled, the Government must urgently revisit the process for resolving a crucially important challenge,” the report said. |
| The report was conducted by Carbon Connect low-carbon energy forum set up by Ed Miliband in 2009 when he was Energy and Climate Change Secretary. | The report was conducted by Carbon Connect low-carbon energy forum set up by Ed Miliband in 2009 when he was Energy and Climate Change Secretary. |
| Charles Hendry, the report's co-chair and a former Energy Minister, said: “The report concludes that nuclear can play a very significant role in delivering secure, low-carbon electricity, but there is much work still to be done to secure the nuclear renaissance that many of us want to see.” | Charles Hendry, the report's co-chair and a former Energy Minister, said: “The report concludes that nuclear can play a very significant role in delivering secure, low-carbon electricity, but there is much work still to be done to secure the nuclear renaissance that many of us want to see.” |