THE chair of Hunterston site stakeholders group chairman Rita Holmes has praised the efforts of management and workforce at 'A' and 'B' stations during decommissioning, following a recent visit.
Rita was joined by her counterpart Marianne Fellowes from Sizewell A and B nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast for the special tour of the Hunterston 'A' facility.
Closing in 1990, Hunterston A nuclear power station is a former Magnox nuclear power station which is being managed by Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) subsidiary Magnox Ltd.
Marianne Fellowes said: "Hunterston is in a beautiful setting and I very much enjoyed visiting Hunterston A and B sites and especially talking with staff. Their commitment to safety and quality was clear .
"It`s good to see the decommissioning phase of both sites progressing and the local innovation that will support learning across the nuclear restoration services and advanced gas-cooled reactor fleets .
"Change can bring uncertainty, as well as opportunity and the future wellbeing of the people involved and the wider local community will be an important challenge for all."
Marianne is a co opted member and Chair of Sizewell A and B site stakeholder group (SSG).
She is vice chair of the UK SSG Chairs` Forum. Her Hunterston visit coincided with her holiday to the Scottish Hebrides and Iona.
Hunterston site stakeholders group chairman Rita Holmes said: " I`m delighted that Marianne saw and appreciated just what a beautiful setting we are in here in the west coast.
"It is important that the site stakeholder groups set up by the NDA in 2006 continue to monitor and scrutinise plans and progress at the decommissioning nuclear sites on behalf of their communities.
"Our Hunterston SSG meetings are quarterly and we encourage members of the public to attend to hear reports from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Nuclear Restoration Services the A and B site directors, the regulators, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Scottish Government. The public can ask questions of those reporting.
"I want to add my appreciation of the management and workforce at both stations for the challenging work they are doing in defuelling of B station and decommissioning of A station."
Hunterston B is a shut-down advanced gas-cooled reactor nuclear power station which closed in 2022.
Once both of its reactors have been fully defuelled, EDF Energy will transfer control of the site to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to continue the decommissioning process.
Mark Blackley, the retiring A site director, is pictured wearing the medal he received recently from the Hunterston SSG, marking his retirement.
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