British energy giant Centrica warned its shareholder earnings may dip after the Heysham and Hartlepool nuclear plants were shut.

The two plants owned by EDF Energy were closed for inspections, it was announced today, because of a “defect” discovered in a boiler spine at one reactor in the Heysham 1 plant.

Today Centrica said the “resulting reduction in output” from the affected nuclear power stations is estimated to cut its earnings in 2014 by around 0.3 pence per share.

Centrica has a 20% interest in EDF Energy’s existing nuclear operations.