Evacuation plans surrounding Somerset’s Hinkley Point B nuclear site have been considerably scaled back as the site progresses towards full decommissioning.
In the UK, all nuclear power stations maintain detailed emergency planning zones (DEPZ) to ensure residents within these areas can be swiftly evacuated in the unlikely event of a nuclear incident such as a meltdown.
Hinkley Point B ceased electricity generation in 2022 after 46 years of operation, was declared free of nuclear fuel in January 2026, and is now in the process of being decommissioned.
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Following a report from EDF Energy in March, Somerset Council has agreed to remove the DEPZ around Hinkley Point B, stating that “urgent protective actions are no longer justified.” This zone had originally encompassed all land within a 3.5-kilometre radius of the site, including the village of Stogursey, the hamlets of Burton and Shurton, and a portion of the Steart Marshes nature reserve.
The removal of this emergency zone means that residents within this previously designated area no longer fall under specific evacuation plans linked directly to the site. EDF Energy cited the site’s defuelling as the main reason it could no longer justify maintaining the DEPZ.
Additionally, the outline planning zone (OPZ), which considers potential impacts from an “extremely unlikely incident,” has been reduced dramatically from 30 kilometres-previously extending beyond the M5 motorway as far as Glastonbury and Langport-to just 1 kilometre.
Neil Kimmins, representing Somerset Council’s emergency planning, response and recovery service, noted that a public consultation carried out in June drew minimal response from local residents. He explained that participants were asked about their proximity to Hinkley Point and their feelings towards the changes.
“Attendance at the two drop-in sessions was relatively low, with only eight members of the public attending,” Kimmins said. “They were also given the opportunity to provide feedback online. As one local parish councillor remarked, ‘Local people know about the lowering risk at Hinkley Point B and are simply not worried.'”
Councillor Leigh Redman, speaking for the Hinkley Point A & B site stakeholder group, acknowledged a broad consensus that Hinkley Point B has entered “a fundamentally different phase of its life,” making these emergency planning adjustments appropriate.
He emphasised that while there is no objection to revising off-site emergency planning arrangements, including the removal of the DEPZ and creation of a 1-kilometre outline planning zone, it should not be misconstrued as ending emergency planning altogether.
“Hinkley Point B remains a nuclear licensed site subject to regulation,” Councillor Redman said. “The public must receive clear, straightforward information about what changes are occurring, what remains the same, and who holds responsibility for warning and protecting communities should an incident arise. Confidence relies not only on technical assessments but also on transparency, continuity, and clarity.”