The two nuclear power stations in Lancashire, England, were shut in August due to discovery of a crack on a component, known as a boiler spine, at Heysham 1.
A conservative decision has been taken by the company to close even Hartlepool power station which also features similar design of the boiler spine.
As part of the inspection process, the company is working with key suppliers to identify and install necessary equipment.
Prior to resuming operation of the reactors, the company must complete the inspections to ensure no further defects could lead to cracks; assess the cause of the crack found on the boiler spine at Heysham 1 as well as develop detailed designs and techniques for modifications to mitigate the impact of any defects.
During the further inspection period, the team will build a robust safety case for the safe operation of the boilers.
The safety case is subject to approval from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
Based on the program progress and any necessary modifications, the company anticipates resuming the operations of the reactors between the end of October and the end of December, 2014.
The two nuclear plants have a combined capacity of about 2.4GW, according to The Guardian.
