Nigel Houlton of EDF Energy discusses the company's approach to lifetime management of its existing nuclear fleet in the UK. EDF Energy operates 8 nuclear stations with 7 Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs) and 1 Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The company has implemented a Lifetime Programme to seek life extensions where safe and commercially viable to support the UK's decarbonization goals. EDF Energy expects an average 7-year life extension for the AGRs and plans to operate them into the 2020s, and a 20-year target for Sizewell B. The company is transforming lifetime management through strategic partnerships and longer-term planning with suppliers and stakeholders.

1. EDF Energy – Generation
Lifetim e Managem ent of the Existing
Nuclear Fleet
Nigel Houlton - Head of Lifetim e P rogram m es
UKTI Civil Nuclear Export Showcase – 28 January 2014
Nigel Houlton, Lifetim e P rogram m es Manager
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1

2. EDF Energy’s Nuclear Fleet
•
8 Stations in UK
Hunterston
-
7 AGRs (Com m issioned 1976 - 1988)
-
1 PWR (Com m issioned 1995)
Station
Hunterston B
Hinkley Point B
Hartlepool
Heysham 1
Dungeness B
Heysham 2
Torness
Sizewell B
2
2
Reactor type
2 AGRs
2 AGRs
2 AGRs
2 AGRs
2 AGRs
2 AGRs
2 AGRs
1 PWR
NET capacity in
Megawatts (MW)
890
870
1,180
1,160
1,040
1,220
1,190
1,191
Torness
Hartlepool
Heysham
Sizewell
Hinkley Point
Dungeness
Year
commissioned
1976
1976
1983
1983
1983
1988
1988
1995
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked
Age in years
38
38
31
31
31
26
26
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3. The Future of Nuclear in the UK
•
•
The power sector will play a pivotal role
- P ower industry is expected to be alm ost com pletely decarbonised by 2050
- Som e predict demand for electricity could double over the sam e period
•
Challenge around achieving a sustainable, affordable and secure lowcarbon supply of
electricity for the future
•
Newnuclear has been recognised as an essential part of the future m ix
•
3
Clim ate Change Act - UK com m itted to reduce em issions by 80% by 2050
Existing nuclear stations w continue to play a key role
ill
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

4. The Case for Life Extension
•
•
Pipeline for newnuclear in the UK and potentially abroad
- UKs new build am bition will require thousands of additional, m ainly highly-skilled jobs
•
Life extensions could play a significant role in both keeping the lights on and keeping us on
track for the 2050 targets
- Does not change the need or urgency of the newnuclear program m e
•
4
The existing nuclear fleet provides
- the m ost affordable, large-scale, low
-carbon source of electricity in the UK
- work for >300 com panies, 90% of our £650m annual spend goes to UK companies
A newapproach to lifetime planning is needed to support this
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

5. A new approach to lifetim e planning
•
•
The previous approach to lifetim e planning was short-term and incremental and until
recently there was no clear long-term forecast about the potential of the fleet
•
5
Lifetime Programme im plem ented to support the strategy
- to ‘seek life extensions for all its nuclear power stations where it is safe and
com m ercially viable’
As our stations approach end of life and the UK firm s up its pathway for decarbonisation,
the need for longer-term planning to realistic dates is em phasised:
- Safety
- Resources planning
- UK infrastructure and Supply Chain planning
- Openness and clarity
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

6. What determ ines technical lifetim e?
Non-replaceable com ponents that degrade
through use:
AGR
- Graphite
boilers:
- Boilers
Graphite
core:
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ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

7. Our lifetim e expectation
•
We conducted an extensive reviewof the potential lifetimes of th e AGRs using all available inform ation and our
predictive m odels of degradation
•
This allowed th e relevant experts to provide a judgement on the appropriate planning dates for the fleet
•
B eing keen to ensure th ese im portant dates were shared openly, we issued a stock exchange announcement in
Feb ’12 with th e following extract:
“EDF Energy has completed a further technical review of the
potential life limiting plant areas…. is now expecting an average life
extension of seven years across the AGR fleet. The strategic target for
S
izewell B remains at 20 years.” 1
•
In Decem ber 2012 we announced a seven year life extension of Hinkley Point B and Hunterston to allow th em to
operate to 2023 in line with th e above expectation. We expect to be operating th e AGR’s well into the 2020’s
The seven year average expectation for the AGRs includes the 5 year extension of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool announ ced in Decem ber 2010 and the 7 year life
extension announced in Decem ber 2012
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ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

8. Transform ation of Lifetim e Managem ent
•
Early engagement with:
- key supply chain partners
-
key external stakeholders
our approach has been w
idely w
elcomed
•
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We have form ed a Strategic P artnership for Lifetim e with four key suppliers to our fleet,
Am ec, Atkins, Cavendish Nuclear and Doosan P ower System s
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Leading a different approach with the key supply chain enabling activities and
infrastructure
- Openly sharing
- Working together
We believe our approach to the whole supply chain is creating a strong sense of
leadership and shared responsibility to the needs of the country
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

9. Exam ple of Longer Term Collaboration to Underpin Life Extension
Data P rocessing and Control System s – Thales UK
E –E
DF nergy wishes to significantly extend the operational life of its existing nuclear power stations
without having to replace the obsolete Data P
rocessing and Control S
ystem (DP ) upon which they rely.
s
CS
The existing DP are vulnerable to:
CS
• Ageing and obsolescence of equipm
ent,
workforce and supply chain
• M
odern standards and alignm with
ent
safety claim
s
“Solutions” not just products
and services to underpin Lifetime
Programme
Value Proposition
- Lifetim e Support Contract
- Long term collaborative working
- Incorporate existing support contracts
- Support safe, reliable and m aintainable DP CS until
cessation of generation plus four years
- Dem onstration of value add to DP CS through life
- Support m aintenance of through life strategy
Through Life
- Continuous validation of DP CS until cessation of
Managem ent
generation plus four years
Develop
Strategic
P artnership
Strategy
Technical Support
Resource Managem ent
Critical Supplier Network
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- SQEP resource base to support DP CS
- Assistance to EDF Energy safety case
- Develop additional suppliers
- Act as single m anagem ent for
lower
tier key suppliers
- Long term contracts
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked

10. Conclusion
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The previous shorter-term planning approach is no longer sufficient
•
Longer-term planning, based on a reasonable expectation of lifetim e, is appropriate and our
approach has received strong support
•
We have reviewed our lifetim e potential and updated our guidance to the m arket around
an expectation of an average life extension of 7years for AGRs and 20years for Sizew B
ell
•
We announced a 7 year life extension for Hinkley P oint B and Hunterston in Decem ber
2012 in line with this expectation
•
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Life extension is good for the country and good for EDF Energy
We are underpinning our planning dates w robust strategies and plans involving our key
ith
suppliers and stakeholders
ED F Energy, Generation, Lifetim e – UKTI Civil Nu clear Export Sh owcase-28Jan14 – N ot P rotectively Marked