Centrica has announced today its plans to extend the operating lives of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool nuclear power stations.

The owner of British Gas stated that the power stations will now remain operational until March 2026, which is two years later than previously forecast.

Originally scheduled for defuelling and decommissioning in March next year, the extensions are expected to add 6TWh to Centrica’s electricity generation volumes between 2024 and 2026.

This represents about 70% of the company’s total nuclear volumes in 2022.

Centrica Chief Executive Officer Chris O’Shea said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to work with EDF to strengthen the UK’s energy security by extending the life of these critical power stations.

“This continues our action to bolster security of supply in our core markets, which includes reopening the Rough gas storage facility in the UK, sanctioning new gas-fired electricity generation capacity in Ireland, and securing increased volumes of gas and renewable power for our customers.

“We will continue to focus on supporting energy security in our core markets during these uncertain times.”