Nuclear Industry Affected by Coronavirus Pandemic
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has brought about significant changes across various industries, and the UK nuclear sector is no exception. The current Chief Inspector at the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the leader of EDF Energy responsible for the Hinkley Point C power station remain unnamed in the search results, leaving their identities undisclosed.
On 24 March, EDF Energy announced a reduction in the workforce at Hinkley Point C by more than half, a move aimed at allowing easier social distancing in operational areas and sites such as canteens. Local online news reported that EDF placed plastic bags over every other seat to keep people apart during the Coronavirus crisis.
However, concerns have been raised about the continued workforce at the HPC construction site during the lockdown. The Stop Hinkley campaign expressed concern about the continued work, stating it was putting lives at risk. Local residents have also complained that HPC construction workers could 'come and go as they wish' despite being in lockdown.
A photograph in the Daily Mail national newspaper on 25 March showed dinners packed together with no spacing in the workers' canteen at Hinkley Point C, fuelling these concerns. In response, Unite, a trades union, threatened to take legal action against Mitie for failing to follow government guidelines and putting staff in danger. Mitie, however, denied the allegations.
The French nuclear safety authority (ASN) suspended on-site safety inspections at French nuclear power plants due to the coronavirus on 26 March. This move was mirrored by the French nuclear complex at La Hague, which began a phase down on 23 March. EDF effectively closed down building work at its Flamanville nuclear plant due to the fear of Covid-19 spread.
The Sellafield site, employing 13,000 workers, confirmed a worker tested positive for Covid-19 on 15 March. In response, the Sellafield site was paused for 48 hours to plan changes to work patterns and welfare provisions.
The ONR issued a statement on Covid-19 on 31 March, following five days of lobbying by local and national anti-nuclear groups. The UK nuclear regulator stated that nuclear sites have minimum staffing levels and contingency plans to maintain nuclear safety and security. The ONR also mentioned that staff rotas at nuclear sites are resilient to keep generation running in scenarios including pandemic or industrial action.
The chief nuclear inspector, Mark Foy, commented on the situation at Hinkley Point C, stating that if a generating site needed to be shut down for any reason, it would be shut down safely. This reassurance was echoed by the ONR, which emphasised that the UK's nuclear sector is prepared to handle the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
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