Hartlepool power station: marine licence support for maintenance activities

Managing the marine licence application process for the coolling water infrastructure, and producing all required information and documentation

Hartlepool is a nuclear power station on the north east coast of England, capable of supplying electricity to over 2 million UK homes.

Operator EDF Energy required a new 10-year marine licence for the routine maintenance of Hartlepool’s cooling water infrastructure, including maintenance activities additional to those covered by the existing licence.

ABPmer was commissioned to manage the marine licence application process, and produce all required information and documentation, namely:

• An Environmental Appraisal, considering the potential for effects on key environmental receptors

• A Water Framework Directive (WFD) Compliance Assessment

• A preliminary Shadow Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) to inform a full HRA

• A Marine Plan Conformance Assessment

Our Environmental Appraisal found the potential effects to be localised, short-term and temporary, concluding that they were negligible and insignificant for all receptors.

The WFD Compliance Assessment concluded that the planned maintenance would not cause deterioration in the status of any water body quality elements or prevent any water bodies from achieving WFD status objectives.

The Shadow HRA considered that the planned maintenance would not have an adverse effect on site integrity.

The maintenance activities were found to be in accordance with the objectives and policies of the North East Marine Plan.

Following the submission of the required documentation, the 10-year marine licence has since been granted.

Header photo courtesy EDF Energy

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