Four Reactors in UK Taken Offline to Check for Boiler Defects

Four Reactors in UK Taken Offline to Check for Boiler Defects

EDF is taking four of the UK's 16 operating power reactors offline to inspect them for a potential defect identified during a refueling outage.

Unit 1 at the Heysham 1 plant was offline for a maintenance outage that began in June when inspections confirmed a defect in one of the reactor's eight boiler spines. EDF announced Monday that it would shut down the second unit at that plant, as well as two reactors of a similar design at the Hartlepool site. In a release, the company did not set a date for when the reactors would return to service but estimated the investigation will take about eight weeks. After it returns to service, unit 1 at Heysham 1 is expected to run at reduced power while EDF implements a repair strategy.http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2014/08/12/four-reactors-in-uk-taken-offline-to-check-for-boiler-defects-081201.aspx#.U-uDARm5I7B