Suffolk's Sizewell B goes offline for 66 days for maintenance

Hundreds of workers have been brought in for maintenance and refuelling work

Author: Matt SoanesPublished 15th Feb 2023
Last updated 15th Feb 2023

Suffolk's Sizewell B nuclear reactor is being switched off for the next 66 days, to allow vital maintenance work to take place.

Hundreds of workers have been brought in to support staff at the power station on the Suffolk Coast, which has just marked its 28th birthday.

Thousands of parts across the power plant need to be changed out, while reactor fuel also needs to be refreshed.

Sizewell B has been online since February 1995 and needs regular maintenance. This is the 18th time its been turned off to allow for work to be carried out.

In 2020 the reactor produced enough power for 2.3 million homes across the UK. Around 800 people work on the site full time.

Sizewell B is expected to be decomissioned in 2035. A controversial new reactor, Sizewell C, is set to be built next door.

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