Four safety alerts at Hunterston B nuclear plant spark probe

An investigation has been launched into four safety incidents at a nuclear power station in Scotland.

Hunterston B in Ayrshire closed last year after more than 350 cracks in a reactor were discovered during maintenance checks.

But subsequent safety checks have also revealed that between April and June cooling for a reactor was lost, a shutdown pump failed and smoke came from a control room panel.

Earlier in the year a power failure prevented cooling gas from being circulated around a reactor. The incidents, uncovered by investigative site The Ferret, were detailed in the latest quarterly safety reports on Hunterston B from the UK Government’s Office for Nuclear Regulation.

Mary Church, Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns, said: “These incidents raise questions about the safety of Hunterston.”

EDF Energy, who run the plant, said: “Each of the issues were very minor and did not pose a risk to workers, the public, or the plant.”