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| Seven of UK's 19 reactors closed | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Nearly a third of Britain's nuclear power reactors have been out of action due to breakdowns and maintenance. | |
| Of the UK's 19 reactors, a total of seven have been shut down. | |
| British Energy, which operates the affected sites, said a "conservative decision" had been taken to close units after safety checks uncovered faults. | |
| Former environment minister Michael Meacher said it was "extremely worrying that one of the major sources of electricity is half-down at this time". | Former environment minister Michael Meacher said it was "extremely worrying that one of the major sources of electricity is half-down at this time". |
| 'Serious matter' | 'Serious matter' |
| Torness, Dungeness B, Hartlepool and Heysham - all of which comprise two reactors - had been scheduled for routine repair and maintenance shut-downs at one or both of their units. | Torness, Dungeness B, Hartlepool and Heysham - all of which comprise two reactors - had been scheduled for routine repair and maintenance shut-downs at one or both of their units. |
| But after problems emerged at the boiler closure units at Hartlepool Reactor 2, British Energy decided to close two further units at Hartlepool and Heysham. | But after problems emerged at the boiler closure units at Hartlepool Reactor 2, British Energy decided to close two further units at Hartlepool and Heysham. |
| NUCLEAR CLOSURES Torness: both units closed for repairs to electricity suppliesDungeness B: one of two units out for standard refuellingHartlepool: Reactor 1 out for statutory maintenance, Reactor 2 closed following problems with boiler closure unitsHeysham: one unit down for refuelling, a second closed for safety checks | NUCLEAR CLOSURES Torness: both units closed for repairs to electricity suppliesDungeness B: one of two units out for standard refuellingHartlepool: Reactor 1 out for statutory maintenance, Reactor 2 closed following problems with boiler closure unitsHeysham: one unit down for refuelling, a second closed for safety checks |
| And the return to service of the reactor which was undergoing maintenance in Heysham will be delayed. | And the return to service of the reactor which was undergoing maintenance in Heysham will be delayed. |
| Mr Meacher, an opponent of nuclear power, said: "I think it is pretty worrying that they themselves have a major problem as a result of breakdown and the need for repair and maintenance. | Mr Meacher, an opponent of nuclear power, said: "I think it is pretty worrying that they themselves have a major problem as a result of breakdown and the need for repair and maintenance. |
| "One needs certainty, and the nuclear industry doesn't provide it." | "One needs certainty, and the nuclear industry doesn't provide it." |
| Nuclear expert Prof Ian Fells, an advisor to the World Energy Council, told the BBC's Today programme that he blamed a lack of investment for the outages, and warned that the consequences could be serious. | Nuclear expert Prof Ian Fells, an advisor to the World Energy Council, told the BBC's Today programme that he blamed a lack of investment for the outages, and warned that the consequences could be serious. |
| He said: "It is disturbing. I mean, we're going to have to rely on it being a warm winter. | He said: "It is disturbing. I mean, we're going to have to rely on it being a warm winter. |
| "If it isn't, maybe we will run into power cuts. And the consequential loss of that is not just the loss of electricity, it's the loss to industry when everything fails. | "If it isn't, maybe we will run into power cuts. And the consequential loss of that is not just the loss of electricity, it's the loss to industry when everything fails. |
| "It's a really quite serious matter." | "It's a really quite serious matter." |