Berkeley nuclear power station
{{Short description|Decommissioned nuclear power plant in England}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox power station
| name = Berkeley nuclear power station
| image = Berkeley Power Station from the air (geograph 68409, high-res).jpg
| image_caption = One of the two reactor blocks in 1981
| coordinates = {{coord|51.6925|-2.4936|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| name_official =
| country = England
| location = Gloucestershire, South West England
| np_reactors = 2
| np_reactor_type = Magnox
| th_fuel_primary = Nuclear
| ps_cooling_towers = None
| ps_cooling_source = Sea water
| ps_units_operational = 4 × 83 MW
| ps_units_manu_model =
| ps_electrical_capacity =
| ps_electrical_cap_fac =
| ps_annual_generation = 1,003.923 GWh (in 1980/1)
| construction_began = 1956
| commissioned = 1962
| decommissioned = 1989
| cost =
| owner = Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
| operator = Nuclear Restoration Services
| employees =
| status = Decommissioning in progress
| extra = {{gbmapping|ST6588599471}}
}}
Berkeley nuclear power station is a former Magnox nuclear power station situated on the bank of the River Severn in Gloucestershire, England. The ongoing decommissioning process is being managed by Nuclear Decommissioning Authority subsidiary Nuclear Restoration Services.
History
The construction of the power station, which was undertaken by a consortium of AEI and John Thompson, began in 1956. It had two Magnox reactors producing 276{{nbsp}}megawatts (MW) in total – enough electricity on a typical day to serve an urban area the size of Bristol. The reactors were supplied by The Nuclear Power Group (TNPG) and the turbines by AEI. Electricity generation started in 1962 and ran for 27 years to 1989.{{cite web|url=https://www.onr.org.uk/sites/berkeley.htm#:~:text=Berkeley%20Site%20in%20Gloucestershire%20is%20the%20first%20commercial,in%201989%20and%20was%20fuel%20free%20by%201992.|title=Berkeley|publisher=Office For Nuclear Regulation|accessdate=4 October 2022}}
Nuclear fuel for Berkeley power station was delivered and removed via the nearest railhead, a loading facility on the Sharpness single railway line. This included a dedicated siding and a gantry crane.{{Cite book|title=Railway Track Diagrams Book 3: Western & Wales|last=Munsey|first=Myles|publisher=Trackmaps|year=2018|isbn=9781999627102|location=Frome|pages=16C}}
= Specification =
Berkeley had four 83{{nbsp}}MW turbo-alternator generators, giving a gross capability of 334.4{{nbsp}}MW and a net capability of 276{{nbsp}}MW.CEGB Statistical Yearbook, 1981, CEGB, London. The steam conditions at the turbine stop valve were {{convert|20.3|/|3.9|bar}} and {{convert|319|/|316|C}}. In the year 1978/9 the station generated 1,392.63{{nbsp}}GWh, and in 1980/1 the station generated 1,003.923{{nbsp}}GWh, The overall thermal efficiency of the station in 1981 was 21.12 per cent.
= Closure =
Reactor 2 was shut down in October 1988, followed by Reactor 1 in March 1989. Berkeley was the first commercial nuclear power station in the United Kingdom to be decommissioned.
So far the nuclear decommissioning process, which is being managed by Nuclear Restoration Services, formerly Magnox Ltd,{{Cite web |title=Major nuclear company rebrands as 'Nuclear Restoration Services' |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-nuclear-company-rebrands-as-nuclear-restoration-services | date = 31 October 2023 |access-date=21 June 2025 |publisher = Nuclear Decommissioning Authority | website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NUCLEAR RESTORATION SERVICES LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02264251 |access-date=21 June 2025|website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}} has involved the removal of all fuel from the site in 1992, and the demolition of structures such as the turbine hall in 1995 and cooling ponds in 2001. The next step of decommissioning will be the care and maintenance stage of the nuclear reactor structures, scheduled to commence in 2026, until radioactive decay means that they can be demolished and the site completely cleared between 2070 and 2080.
File:Berkeley nuclear power station February 2014.JPG
In March 2012, five of the {{convert|310|LT|MT}} boilers were moved from the station to Sweden for decontamination and recycling.
In December 2013, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority selected Berkeley as the preferred interim store for intermediate-level waste from the decommissioned Oldbury nuclear power station.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-25198759 |title=Berkeley named as preferred nuclear waste site |publisher=BBC |date=3 December 2013 |access-date=4 December 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.neimagazine.com/features/featureiron-boxes-for-ilw-transport-and-storage/ |title=Iron boxes for ILW transport and storage |author=Mark Janicki |publisher=Nuclear Engineering International |date=26 November 2013 |access-date=4 December 2013}} This became operational in 2014.{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/WR-New-UK-waste-facilities-completed-1605144.html |title=New UK waste facilities completed |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=16 May 2014 |access-date=21 May 2014}}
Berkeley is one of four nuclear power stations located close to the mouth of the River Severn and the Bristol Channel, the others being Oldbury, Hinkley Point A and Hinkley Point B. {{As of|2021}}, a fifth, Hinkley Point C, is under construction. The surrounding area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Protection Area (SPA) and a RAMSAR wetland of international importance.
In May 2023, a £30.8{{nbsp}}million (US$38.8{{nbsp}}million) contract was awarded to Altrad for the design, asbestos removal, deplant, demolition and construction works which will take place and conclude in the full removal of the four blower houses that surround the reactor buildings. This was previously slated to be completed when the reactor buildings themselves are demolished in the 2070s.{{cite news | title = Berkeley decommissioning work brought forward 50 years | date = 11 May 2023 | url = https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Berkeley-decommissioning-work-brought-forward-50-y | access-date = 11 May 2023 | work = World Nuclear News}}
Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories
Just south of the power station were Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories, one of the UK’s three main nuclear power industry research centres. At its peak about 750 staff worked at the labs including 200 scientists and engineers.
By 2023, the site and some surrounding land was converted into a {{convert|50|acre|sing=on|abbr=off}} technology park now called Gloucestershire Science & Technology Park, by a subsidiary of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. At the centre of the site the former engineering rig hall, building D24, the John Huggett Engineering Hall, was converted into a college engineering campus.{{cite news |url=https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/14942970.groundbreaking-sgs-engineering-college-opens-in-berkeley-green/ |title=Groundbreaking SGS engineering college opens in Berkeley Green |last=Bisknell |first=Eddie |website=Gazette |location=Stroud |date=2 December 2016 |access-date=9 March 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.berkeleygreenutc.org.uk/blog/KierConstructionDirectorvisitsSGS |title=Kier Construction Director visits SGS Berkeley Green, as vision becomes a reality for new college campus |publisher=SGS Berkeley Green UTC |date=16 August 2017 |access-date=9 March 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/transformation-of-former-nuclear-site-into-college-campus-and-business-park |title=Transformation of former nuclear site into college campus and business park |publisher=Nuclear Decommissioning Authority |date=30 October 2017 |access-date=9 March 2019}} Alongside which was built a university technical college. The site now accommodates Bloodhound LSR and Gloucestershire Constabulary.
In August 2024, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College sold the site for £6.5{{nbsp}}million to the Chiltern Vital Group, who plan to redevelop the site for a nuclear technology and low-carbon energy "super cluster" of businesses.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1m0pgvmdrgo |title=Former nuclear power station site sold for £6.5m |last=Jenkins |first=Sammy |work=BBC News |date=21 August 2024 |access-date=26 August 2024}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|England|Energy|Nuclear technology}}}}
- Energy policy of the United Kingdom
- Nuclear power in the United Kingdom
- Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite web | url= http://www.world-nuclear.org/wgs/decom/projects/berkeley_print.htm | publisher= World Nuclear Association | title =Decommissioning at Berkeley Power Station – UK | access-date=22 May 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929084009/http://www.world-nuclear.org/wgs/decom/projects/berkeley_print.htm | archive-date=29 September 2007}}
{{cite news | newspaper=Bristol Evening Post | title=title unknown | date=29 February 2012}}
}}
External links
{{Commons category|Berkeley nuclear power station}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070901015020/http://www.nda.gov.uk/sites/berkeley/ Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – Berkeley]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070504063116/http://www.sitestakeholdergroups.org.uk/berkeley/ Berkeley Site Stakeholder Group]
{{South West powerstations}}
{{British nuclear power plants}}
Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1962
Category:Buildings and structures in Gloucestershire
Category:Power stations in South West England
Category:Former nuclear power stations in England
Category:1962 establishments in England