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| Didcot B power station blaze investigated | Didcot B power station blaze investigated |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Firefighters are investigating the cause of a major blaze at Didcot B power station in Oxfordshire. | Firefighters are investigating the cause of a major blaze at Didcot B power station in Oxfordshire. |
| At its height, 25 fire engines and about 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at the gas-fired station, which broke out at about 20:00 BST on Sunday. | At its height, 25 fire engines and about 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at the gas-fired station, which broke out at about 20:00 BST on Sunday. |
| The station was partially shut down, but Energy Secretary Ed Davey said National Grid had assured him that there was no risk to energy supplies. | The station was partially shut down, but Energy Secretary Ed Davey said National Grid had assured him that there was no risk to energy supplies. |
| The fire was extinguished at about midnight and no-one was injured. | The fire was extinguished at about midnight and no-one was injured. |
| Simon Furlong, assistant chief fire officer, said three fire engines were still at the scene on Monday morning and he expected them to be there for at least the next 24 hours. | Simon Furlong, assistant chief fire officer, said three fire engines were still at the scene on Monday morning and he expected them to be there for at least the next 24 hours. |
| "This was a serious fire which began in one of Didcot B power station's cooling towers and spread to three other cooling towers," he said. | "This was a serious fire which began in one of Didcot B power station's cooling towers and spread to three other cooling towers," he said. |
| "I expect that it will take some time to determine the reasons behind what actually happened." | "I expect that it will take some time to determine the reasons behind what actually happened." |
| The blaze began in a cooling tower and spread to three others because of strong wind. | |
| Dave Bray, the fire service's incident commander, said: "We have extinguished the fire, although there are hot spots that are remaining within the structure. | Dave Bray, the fire service's incident commander, said: "We have extinguished the fire, although there are hot spots that are remaining within the structure. |
| "It is now the challenge of getting to these and dampening them down." | "It is now the challenge of getting to these and dampening them down." |
| Mr Bray said firefighters faced "significant challenges" during the blaze because the cooling towers were predominantly made of wood. | |
| An automatic alarm system alerted the fire service, but the first call was actually from a member of the public at Great Western Park in Didcot, he said. | |
| Mr Davey said: "My priority is to understand the cause of the fire and get the affected unit back, generating electricity, as soon as it's safe to do so." | Mr Davey said: "My priority is to understand the cause of the fire and get the affected unit back, generating electricity, as soon as it's safe to do so." |
| The fire service said the blaze was not being treated as arson or a terrorist incident. | The fire service said the blaze was not being treated as arson or a terrorist incident. |
| Dan Meredith, from the station's owner RWE npower, said electricity supplies would not be affected. | Dan Meredith, from the station's owner RWE npower, said electricity supplies would not be affected. |
| "Power stations come on and off the grid quite a lot and we're very sustainable, we can carry on." | "Power stations come on and off the grid quite a lot and we're very sustainable, we can carry on." |
| The company said it was too early to say how much damage had been caused. | The company said it was too early to say how much damage had been caused. |
| Georgina Miles, who lives near the power station, said: "We saw the flames basically licking the top of the small cooling towers. It was pretty dramatic. There was a lot of damage." | Georgina Miles, who lives near the power station, said: "We saw the flames basically licking the top of the small cooling towers. It was pretty dramatic. There was a lot of damage." |
| Analysis: John Moylan, Industry Correspondent | Analysis: John Moylan, Industry Correspondent |
| Didcot B has two "modules" which together provide about 1.3GW of electricity to the grid. The npower website says the plant provides enough power for a million homes. | Didcot B has two "modules" which together provide about 1.3GW of electricity to the grid. The npower website says the plant provides enough power for a million homes. |
| The company says both modules were generating on Sunday night. The fire was in a cooling tower linked to one of the modules and it was decided to shut down that module. It was considered safe to keep the other running. | The company says both modules were generating on Sunday night. The fire was in a cooling tower linked to one of the modules and it was decided to shut down that module. It was considered safe to keep the other running. |
| So if there is a long-term impact from the fire, it may be that about half the capacity from the plant is hit, but possibly not all of it. | So if there is a long-term impact from the fire, it may be that about half the capacity from the plant is hit, but possibly not all of it. |
| That is to be confirmed, however. The company will know more when it assesses the damage. | That is to be confirmed, however. The company will know more when it assesses the damage. |
| National Grid said there was no operational impact from the fire. Demand for electricity is low on a Sunday night. | National Grid said there was no operational impact from the fire. Demand for electricity is low on a Sunday night. |
| The power station has been in operation since 1997 and can supply power to up to one million homes, according to operators RWE npower. | The power station has been in operation since 1997 and can supply power to up to one million homes, according to operators RWE npower. |
| Company spokesman Dan Meredith said: "There will be no disruptions to electricity. | Company spokesman Dan Meredith said: "There will be no disruptions to electricity. |
| "We have a very resilient network in the UK and the way the National Grid can operate, they are able to call upon other power stations across the country to fill the gap that this power station has left as it's come off." | "We have a very resilient network in the UK and the way the National Grid can operate, they are able to call upon other power stations across the country to fill the gap that this power station has left as it's come off." |