The UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has issued an improvement notice to EDF following a November 2025 incident at the Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station in which two employees came into contact with pressurised hydraulic oil. Two EDF technicians were carrying out maintenance work when a joint on a system was disconnected that contained hydraulic oil under pressure which was then released. Both employees attended hospital as a precautionary measure. There was no risk to nuclear safety, the public or the environment.
Mike Webb, ONR’s Joint Head of Safety Regulation for the Operating Reactors Sub-directorate, said: “Our enquiries found that EDF had failed to provide their employees with the required information to allow them to carry out their work safely. We will engage with EDF during the period of the improvement notice to ensure positive progress is made to address this shortfall.” EDF has until 17 April to comply with the improvement notice.
The 1,185 MWe Hartlepool NPP, comprising two advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs), was only the third UK NPP to use AGR technology. Construction started in 1969 and the station started generating electricity in 1983. It was completed in 1985 and was initially operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board. With privatisation of the UK’s electric supply industry in 1990, the station was transferred to Nuclear Electric and British Energy but is now owned and operated by EDF Energy.
EDF have recently announced their decision to extend the generating lifetime of the station to March 2028, subject to an adequate demonstration of safety.
