2 February 2009

British Energy Group plc

Boiler Closure Unit ('BCU') Update - Heysham 1 Reactor 1 return to service

Further to its announcement on 26 January 2009, British Energy Group plc ('the Company') is pleased to announce that Heysham 1 Reactor 1 has synchronised to the National Grid, having made engineering modifications and received the necessary consent from the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate ('NII') to return the unit to service.  The unit has been out of service for an extended period of time and therefore a comprehensive return to service programme will be followed over the coming days.

Following completion of the engineering modification work and upon receipt of the necessary regulatory clearance, the Company expects to return Reactor 2 at Hartlepool power station and Reactor 2 at Heysham 1 power station to service in a phased process over the coming weeks.

Contacts:

Notes to editors

BCUs are unique to Hartlepool and Heysham 1 power stations. There are eight BCUs on each reactor which form part of the reactor pressure boundary. Each BCU is pre-stressed with nine layers of wire windings, wound around its outer periphery.  

Following the discovery of a broken wire during planned inspections of the BCUs in October 2007, the units at Hartlepool and Heysham 1 power stations were taken out of service. A detailed inspection programme has been undertaken to confirm the condition of the BCUs, and engineering modifications developed to address the issue. 

On 26 January 2009, the Company announced that Hartlepool Reactor 1 had synchronised to the National Grid.