The UK’s next wave of nuclear decommissioning has moved a step closer after the regulator signed off the transfer of Hunterston B to public sector control ahead of full dismantling.

Government decommissioning body, Nuclear Restoration Services will take over ownership of the North Ayrshire reactor from EDF on 1 April.

This will be the first Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor station to enter formal decommissioning – marking a major shift as Britain begins retiring its second-generation nuclear fleet.

Seven AGR stations were built across England and Scotland, as successors to the earlier Magnox designs, with most scheduled to close by 2028.

Hunterston B is the first to formally pass into the hands of Nuclear Restoration Services, the decommissioning arm of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Further sites will follow on a rolling basis once defuelling is complete.

Hunterston B stopped generating in January 2022 after 46 years in service and will now move into a complex, multi-stage dismantling programme.

Works will include stripping out plant, equipment and buildings outside the reactor core, alongside the handling and removal of radioactive materials for long-term storage or disposal.

Once complete, the site will enter a prolonged care and maintenance phase while radiation levels decay.

The transfer sets the template for the rest of the UK’s AGR fleet, which has been the backbone of nuclear generation since the 1970s but is now approaching the end of its operational life.

Mike Finnerty, ONR chief executive and chief nuclear inspector, said: “The strong collaborative work between our inspectors, EDF and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has helped deliver this milestone safely and on schedule.

“It is now vital that the decommissioning and dismantling of these facilities is progressed in a timely manner.

“This marks an important and progressive step at Hunterston B and we look forward to working with new licence holder Nuclear Restoration Services to drive forward our commitments to reducing hazard and protecting workers and the public.”