Heysham 1 nuclear power station will continue generating electricity until March 2030 after EDF announced a further two-year extension to its operational life.
The decision means the power station on the Lancashire coast will remain in operation two years beyond its previously announced end-of-generation date, helping to provide low-carbon electricity to homes and businesses across the UK.
EDF said the extension secures the jobs of around 530 staff and more than 200 permanent contractors at the site.
The announcement comes shortly after Ian Pilton was appointed as the station's new director.
Having spent more than 20 years working at Heysham 1 in a range of operational and leadership roles, he said the extension was positive news for employees and the wider community.
Mr Pilton said: "I've spent two decades working at Heysham and throughout that time I've seen first-hand the skill, commitment and pride our people bring to work every day.
"Heysham is a special place to work.
"We have generations of families connected to the station, a highly skilled workforce and strong links with the community around us.
"The dedication of our employees and contractors has made this extension possible, and they should be incredibly proud of what they've achieved."
EDF estimates the two-year life extension could allow the station to generate an additional 14 terawatt hours of electricity, enough to power more than four million homes.
The company said the move will also support the UK's energy security through reliable, domestically-produced power.
Heysham 1's extension was announced alongside a similar decision for Hartlepool power station, with both sites now expected to end generation in March 2030.
The two stations have operated as a pair throughout their lifetimes because of their similar reactor designs and operating characteristics.
EDF said the decision followed a detailed review of the stations, including assessments of reactor graphite cores, boiler conditions, workforce planning and supply chain resilience.
Speaking about his new role, Mr Pilton added: "Having built my career here, there's no place I'd rather be and it's a real privilege to lead the station at such a positive time.
"I'm proud of what this site delivers for the country and I'm equally proud of the difference it makes locally through jobs, investment, community support and environmental stewardship."
Read more
According to EDF, Heysham 1 was originally due to stop generating electricity in 2014 when the company acquired the UK's nuclear fleet.
Continued investment has enabled the station to remain operational for more than a decade beyond that date.
The energy firm said Heysham 1 has generated more than 257 terawatt hours of electricity since 1983, and has helped avoid more than 133 million tonnes of carbon emissions when compared with gas-fired generation.
Share