Report says valve system had not been properly maintained
A steam leak at the Heysham A nuclear power station in the UK could have seriously injured staff, an investigation by the UK regulator has found.
The incident was caused when a valve controlling steam from the reactor failed at the two-unit station in Lancashire, northwest England.
A report by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) found the valve system had not been maintained.
The power station’s owner EDF Energy accepted the findings and said it was carrying out a review. EDF Energy is the UK division of French state nuclear operator EDF.
Nobody was injured as a result of the incident on 23 December 2023, but the ONR investigation found that EDF Energy had failed to maintain the valve system.
This had the “potential for serious personal injury, if people had been present in the area near the valve”, the ONR report said.
The ONR said it has issued an improvement notice to EDF and the company has until 30 April to comply.
Heysham A has two advanced gas-cooled nuclear plants that began commercial operation in 1989.
