On December 3rd, 2025, at 11:23 pm our house shook and we heard an explosive, grinding noise.  We learnt it was an earthquake of 3.3 magnitude on the Lancashire and Cumbria border that was felt across the whole region.  The nuclear power plants of Heysham 1 and 2 on the coast opposite Silverdale and on a geological fault line, were at the epicentre.  Another lucky escape….

We the undersigned urge the closure of Heysham 1 and 2 nuclear power stations. These nuclear reactors are now 36 years old and have been given repeated life extensions above and beyond their ‘safe’ lifetime of under 30 years. The graphite cores are cracking due to 36 years of bombardment with radiation.

For many years Heysham’s nuclear reactors have not been fit for purpose, with embrittlement and cracking due to radiation bombardment. The solution from the Office for Nuclear Regulation has been to reluctantly adjust safety limits year on year to accommodate this increasing graphite degradation.

Given what is at stake - the safety of Lancashire, Cumbria and even our overseas neighbours - safety should override the monetary concerns of closure of 2 nuclear plants. But at Heysham, safety isn't paramount.

The graphite has repeatedly come close to breaching safety levels, in which case the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) would have to prosecute or even shut down the plant. Instead, each time, the regulators have bent to requests from EDF energy, to increase the volume of “allowed” cracks.

What could go wrong? 

Dr Ian Fairlie    a consultant on radiation in the environment has said the worst case scenario could be that: 

“cracks in graphite bricks affect stability of reactor core

● if sudden blockage of cooling channel, or outages, or sudden steam surges, or earth tremors - could result in a serious accident - ie releases of radioactive gases

● + if other safety systems failed at same time there could be a catastrophic accident - ie Chornobyl”

Every single minute that Heysham 1 and 2 operates is a gamble.

A major accident at Heysham would more than tip the balance of any financial concerns over closure. The fallout would cause enormous hardship in the rural and urban conurbations of Lancaster and the South Lakes with potentially disastrous impacts including financial, environmental and public wellbeing.  

We urge the protection of Lancashire, Cumbria and our overseas neighbours by the closure of Heysham 1 and 2 now. 

Notes:

Shutting down Heysham 1 and 2 reactors would not mean a major loss of jobs (there may even be more jobs) as the shut reactors would have to be looked after for another decade at least, even before the long process of decommissioning could begin. 

December 3rd 2025 Earthquake https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/25671677.everything-know-house-shaking-earthquake-south-cumbria/

Geological Fault rules out new nuclear build at Heysham say British Energy -2002 https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5973788.fault-rules-new-build-heysham/

Office for Nuclear Regulation “Graphite Brick Cracking Network”  https://www.onr.org.uk/our-expertise/our-research/graphite-brick-cracking-network

Heysham 1 Justifications for Life Extensions despite graphite degradation https://impact.ref.ac.uk/casestudies/CaseStudy.aspx?Id=37232#:~:text=The%20lifetimes%20of%20Hartlepool%20and,accurate%20determination%20of%20residual%20stresses

Office for Nuclear Regulation - Heysham 2 "Review and Consideration of EC 371321/371221 - Safety Case for Operation with Keyway Root Cracking Beyond a Core Burn-up of 16.5 TWd"  https://www.onr.org.uk/media/voiegdi3/202406022-2.pdf

Heysham extension “deeply irresponsible” say Green Party councillors - Lancaster City Council https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/greens-concerned-over-extension-of-lives-of-heysham-nuclear-plants/