Hartlepool Power Station director responds to enhanced attention by Office of Nuclear Regulation

Mark Lees, Hartlepool Power Station director, said it will work to “continuously improve our performance”.

It comes after the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) moved the EDF station, in Brenda Road, Hartlepool, into enhanced regulatory attention for safety.

The ONR took the decision after it identified areas where improvements are required for the station to perform better around health and safety.

The regulator said the station remains safe to operate.

Mike Webb, ONR’s Superintending Inspector for Operating Reactors, said: “When required, we place sites into enhanced attention to achieve improved performance in specific areas, which is a key part of our role as an independent regulator.

“It’s encouraging that EDF has already submitted a performance improvement plan to us to address the areas we identified as requiring improvement at the site.

“We have reviewed this plan and are confident it will address our outlined concerns."

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Station director Mr Lees said: “This power station has an excellent operating and safety record built up over more than 40 years of electricity generation and it is important to note that the ONR has clearly said it has confidence the site can continue to safely operate.

“We have always worked with the ONR to address, and flag, technical issues as they emerge and to ensure they are content with the way we’re working.

"Our action plan will ensure we continuously improve our performance on those issues identified by ourselves and the regulator.”