Wyfla Head
Wyfla Head is on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey, marking the western end of Cemaes Bay. It is best known as the site of Wyfla Nuclear Power Station.
It is a broad, rock-girt headland looking out onto the Irish Sea. The Anglesey Coast Path runs up around Cemaes Bay and to the sea-facing edge of Wyfla Head.
Power Station
The Wylfa Nuclear Power Station stands on the broad headland, just south of Wyfla Head. Its location on the coast provides a cooling source for its operation.
The work to build the power station began in 1963. It houses two 490 MW Magnox nuclear reactors, "Reactor 1" and "Reactor 2", which were built from 1963 and became operational in 1971.[1] Wylfa typically supplied 23 GW h of electricity daily when they were both in service. These were the largest and last Magnox-type reactors to be built in the United Kingdom. Wylfa was the second British nuclear power station, following Oldbury, to have a pre-stressed concrete pressure vessel instead of steel for easier construction and enhanced safety.
The power station is operated by Magnox Ltd. On 20 July 2006 the Nuclear Decommissionig Authority announced that the station would be shut down in 2010, but in 2010 the NDA announced an extension to 2012, beyond Wylfa's 40th anniversary as a generating power station in January 2011. A 2011 report[2] states Reactor 1's lifetime will be extended to September 2014, but it is anticipated that remaining fuel will be used up before the end of the operator's allocated extension period. Reactor 2 ceased generating on 25 April 2012 at 19:02 BST. [3]
Future nuclear plant plans
A second plant (generally referred to as Wylfa B) has been proposed, in part to provide for the needs of the Anglesey Aluminium smelter located in Holyhead, though that plant shut down in 2009. Plans for a biomass plant on the site by 2016 received planning permission. Plans for a new reactor, Wylfa B are being keenly pursued.
Wylfa continues to provide employment to the local area and electricity to the north of Wales. In March 2006 the local council voted to extend the life of Wylfa A and to support the construction of Wylfa B..
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Wyfla Head) |
- Magnox North
- Wylfa Power Station
- NDA (UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority)
- Wylfa, Nuclear Engineering International wall chart, 1965
- Information on PAWB
- People Against Wyfla B
- Inside Wylfa. Feb 2009 (2m:21s video)
References
- ↑ Nuclear Power Plants in the UK - Scotland and Wales
- ↑ http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/onr-quarterly-news-q3-1112.pdf?ebul=gd-nuclear&cr=01/jan-12
- ↑ "Nuclear workers offered retraining as Wylfa reactor shuts early". BBC News. 26 April 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-17840548. Retrieved 26 April 2012.