The possibility of blackouts and factory closures this winter has been raised after one of Britain’s biggest energy companies admitted that a quarter of the country’s nuclear reactors could be out of action until the end of the year.
EDF Energy said that it would take longer than it first thought to fix technical faults on its twin reactors at Heysham, in Lancashire, and Hartlepool.
That increases the risk that the lights could go out if other power stations are forced to close during winter evenings, when demand for electricity peaks.
Manufacturers also said that electricity shortages — and resulting higher power prices — could force some factories to shut or cut production.
EDF Energy, which is 85 per cent owned by the French government, said that the four reactors would gradually be restarted this winter, but could not give specific dates.
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“Depending on the progress of the programme and any necessary modifications, the company expects there to be a phased return to service between the end of October and the end of December,” it said.
There are fears that the repair work could take even longer and slip into next year. EDF Energy had announced the closure of the four reactors last month, but said then that they would be back online by the middle of October.
Jeremy Nicholson, from the Energy Intensive Users Group, which represents heavy industry, said: “The danger with this kind of repair work is that, even with the best intention, this work will take longer than planned.”
He added that electricity prices would rise if there was a cold snap this winter before all the reactors had been restarted. “This would hit industry and could lead to temporary — or prolonged — factory closures or a reduction in production,” he warned.
Britain had already been facing an electricity generation squeeze this winter as old coal plants are closed to comply with environmental legislation. A slump in wholesale electricity prices, caused in part by a glut of cheap power generated by wind and solar farms, has led to many gas plants being mothballed because they are unprofitable.
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Ofgem, the regulator, had warned in June that the spare generating capacity above peak demand could be only 4.5 per cent this winter. If half a dozen large plants had to shut, this spare capacity would be wiped out, leaving the UK with the threat of blackouts.
Since then EDF Energy has shut the four nuclear reactors. In July part of Ferrybridge coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire was forced to close after a fire in July, and the operators of Barking gas plant said that they planned to close it because of high gas prices.
National Grid said this week that the plant closures have forced it to set up an emergency reserve of power stations.