UK Wind Record

[Tinbum]

That just means those units havent changed their forecast but the sites updated for the 8th Feb now and Torness is still on the bars and heysham stage 2 still has a unit offload refuelling as per their stated 3rd Feb update thats extended for turbine vibration investigations and stage 1 has a reactor offline for refuelling due back on the 17th.

The main thing I was trying to note was Torness was back on load according to EDF but terravolt still shows one unit off.

Moxi

I don't read it as that. I read it as the page has updated on the 8th but the plants haven't since the 3rd- hence why you are seeing the discrepancy between the two sites and why generation is at 4.2 when it was at 4.8.

It states
Torness Last updated: 03 Feb 2023 14.38hrs 'Generation (MW) data as at: 03 Feb 2023 14.00hrs'

[Moxi]

yes I see what you mean now

moxi

[nowty]

Nuke status finally updated, confirms Torness Reactor 1 down for offload refuelling.
https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/power- ... y-statuses

So Terravolt was correct.
https://terravolt.co.uk/uk-grid-visual/

[Tinbum]

Nuclear is now 3.8!! Hartlepool U2 down to 190MW

[Moxi]

Makes you wonder if EDF have a vested interest in the AGR fleet failing sooner so they can sell their French generated power back to us over the inter connectors ? Captive market a la putin style

Moxi

[nowty]

Now 3.6GW, Hartlepool U2 down to 0W now, shutdown.

Wind is heading downwards too, good job its mild and a weekend.

[nowty]

And now Sizewell B going offline for a couple of months.

Nuke output down to 2.9GW now.

You'd have thought they would have postponed the work a month as there is chatter on the weather forums of colder weather next month.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-64641743

[dan_b]

Blimey, that's as low as it's ever been isn't it? Basically one Hinkley Point C...
UK Nuclear - Held together with sticking plasters and crossed fingers?!

And now Sizewell B going offline for a couple of months.

Nuke output down to 2.9GW now.

You'd have thought they would have postponed the work a month as there is chatter on the weather forums of colder weather next month.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-64641743

[Moxi]

Its refuelling outage and they've probably already run the reactor higher than expected over the winter for the Grids benefit so they may not have sufficient remaining fuel for another extension to the refuelling.

Unlike the AGR's which can fuel on load at reduced coolant pressure the PWR has to be powered down and the top of the pressure vessel removed to allow the spent fuel to me lifted and moved to the cooling pond before new fuel is installed and the vessel head replaced and torqued down.

While they refuel the Vessel head will undergo inspection and testing.

Theres a few good videos for this type of refuelling but this one is nice and short and gives a slice of the requirements.

The old PWR's are not very efficient 36% compared to an average 40% (44% best recorded) for an AGR but I always liked the way the PWR reactor unit and safety components was readily accessible, something that has ultimately allowed the PWR to endure and have a significant extended lifetime in operation and unlike the relatively short lived Magnox and AGR fleets - in the video the guys are leant on the side of the vessel - you would never survive doing that if you tried to sneak a peak at an AGR core!



Moxi

[Moxi]

Definitely a squeaky bum moment for the country as a whole and maybe if we lose any further units a timely indication of what's to come next winter because its a hard fact that Hinkley C wont be along any time soon and the old AGR's wont be able to continue too much longer so we will be short of electricity at some point!

Moxi