Scientists reveal what would happen if 'out of control' wildfires reach the Sizewell B nuclear power station

Scientists have revealed what would happen if the out-of-control Suffolk wildfires reached the Sizewell B nuclear power station, as firefighters continue battling the blaze.The inferno has already forced holidaymakers to flee campsites and prompted a major emergency response after flames spread across large areas of heathland near the coast.The nuclear site has been placed on high alert as a precaution, although experts stress there is currently no indication that the reactor itself is under threat.Professor Joel Turner, Rolls-Royce Chair in Nuclear Fuel Technology at the University of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute, said placing the station on high alert was ‘a very sensible precaution’.He explained that if necessary, operators could rapidly shut down the reactor by triggering what is known as a SCRAM, in which control rods are inserted into the reactor core in less than a second.‘In practice a SCRAM would likely only be done because it was unsafe to keep the plant fully staffed, rather than because of physical danger to the reactor itself,’ he said.He added that the biggest concern would be maintaining the station's connection to the electricity grid, which helps power its cooling systems.But even if that connection were disrupted, he said the plant has multiple backup cooling systems and diesel-powered generators designed to keep the reactor safe. This morning Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze at Dunwich Heath, Suffolk covered around 24 acres, but by midday this had increased to the size of 140 football pitches, or 247.1 acres Sizewell's reactor core is housed inside a 20cm-thick steel pressure vessel surrounded by a heavily reinforced concrete containment buildingProfessor Mike Bluck, Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Imperial College London, said the fire front is currently around three to four miles from the site, which remains unaffected.He said that although the surrounding countryside could allow a wildfire to approach the station, the industrial nature of the site and its network of large access roads would help act as natural firebreaks.Professor Bluck said the reactor was specifically designed to withstand a range of external hazards, including fires.He added that if the flames came any closer and there were specific concerns, the reactor could be safely shut down while extensive backup cooling systems kept it secure.‘The reactor core sits within a 20cm thick steel vessel, which is surrounded by a reinforced concrete containment,’ he said.‘Breaching of the containment and pressure vessel is unimaginable.’Professor Bluck explained that while other facilities, such as spent fuel storage areas, would also need protecting, the site has its own fully equipped fire service and specially trained emergency personnel.He also noted that Britain is not facing an unprecedented situation, pointing out that France has several nuclear power stations located close to areas regularly affected by much larger wildfires without any recorded nuclear incidents. The wildfire is spreading in the direction of Sizewell B nuclear power station, but is not thought to be a threat to the siteDr Thomas Smith, Associate Professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science, added: ‘I don't expect the fire to threaten the power plant.‘Firstly, the fire is located many kilometres away. Even if it were to spread further south, there is a large expanse of non-vegetated areas providing a buffer zone to the power plant buildings.‘Temperatures are forecast to drop substantially into this evening and tomorrow, with correspondingly higher relative humidity.‘This will further help to slow the spread of the fire and make the flames more manageable to suppress.’The reassurances come as huge wildfires continue to rage across Suffolk, fuelled by hot, dry weather and strong winds.Officials have said the fire has grown tenfold in just a matter of hours.The blaze broke out near the National Trust's Coastguard Cottages on Dunwich Heath, on the Suffolk coast at around 5.30pm yesterday, and is said to be 'spreading rapidly'.Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze had grown from around 24 acres this morning to about 247 acres by midday – roughly the size of 140 football pitches. Your browser does not support iframes. Sizewell B is the UK's only operating pressurised water reactor and has been generating electricity since 1995.The station produces enough power for around 2.5 million homes, supplying roughly 3 per cent of Britain's electricity.Its reactor core is housed inside a 20cm-thick steel pressure vessel surrounded by a heavily reinforced concrete containment building designed to withstand extreme external hazards. Earlier this month, the Government approved plans to extend the station's operating life from 2035 until 2055.