Heysham 2 on the Lancashire coast has become the UK’s 'most productive' nuclear power station. The Lancashire plant, owned by EDF and first connected to the grid in 1988, reached the record milestone at the end of last year.

It has generated nearly 311 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity during its 37 years of service.

Martin Cheetham, Heysham 2 Station Director, said:

“Reaching this milestone is an incredible achievement for Heysham 2 and a testament to the dedication of our team.

Knowing that this amount of energy is enough to power every home in Lancashire for more than 180 years really brings home the scale of what we’ve delivered for the region and the country over the years.

Through construction and generation, the station has been part of the community for more than 45 years, providing thousands of jobs and, along with Heysham 1, contributing more than £28 billion to the UK economy.”

Heysham 2 is one of seven advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) stations in the UK.

Cheetham explains of AGRs:

"They are fantastic pieces of equipment. They are an evolution of the old Magnox design and they were designed to marry up to existing steam turbine technology - so the steam conditions are exactly the same as in many thermal plants. The AGR operates at a higher temperature than pressurised water reactors (the carbon dioxide circulates through the core, reaching 650°C) and it's a very reliable design."

Heysham 2 turbine hall’s GEC supplied equipment spin at over 3000 revolutions a minute.

It is estimated to have saved more than 108 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to removing every car from UK roads for nearly two years.

Since taking over the nuclear fleet in 2009, EDF has invested more than £8.6 billion in the UK’s nuclear infrastructure.

The company plans to invest an additional £1.2 billion over the next three years to sustain generation, strengthen energy security, and further reduce carbon emissions.

When EDF took over the nuclear fleet in 2009, Heysham 2 was due to stop generating in 2023 after 35 years of operation. Its current end-of-generation date is March 2030, with an ambition to generate further, subject to plant inspections and regulatory approvals.

Sean Kyle, an operations support engineer who has worked at Heysham 2 since 1985, said: "I consider myself very fortunate to have worked at Heysham 2 for all these years.

"The station has given me a varied and interesting career, and I feel proud to have been part of the journey from commissioning to the present day."

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, added:

“Heysham 2 is the greatest clean energy asset this country has ever had. For 37 years it has been a cornerstone of clean power generation and energy security, cutting bills and sustaining thousands of good, skilled jobs at the heart of the local community. The dedicated staff who have powered homes and businesses in the North West for decades deserve enormous credit

“The renewed focus on secure, price-predictable energy shows that without nuclear we pay more for electricity and become more reliant on imported fossil fuels. As Heysham 2’s retirement approaches, that is why new nuclear is essential.”

Heysham 2 employs approximately 520 full-time EDF employees plus more than 250 full-time contract partners.

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