Visiting a nuclear power plant for any nuclear scientist is a pilgrimage. Dealing with the waste produced via the nuclear fuel cycle and its subsequent disposal has spawned a wide range of scientific research at Manchester. So as you can imagine the group was at the least, pretty excited. The weather matched the momentous occasion with the winds practically blowing us up the M6 past Preston, across Lancaster right up to the coast where Heysham 1 and 2 stick out of the coastline. But don’t worry, it fits in; they’ve painted one of them to look like a ferry.

Group visit to Heysham nuclear power station

We were welcomed into the visitor centre, where I’m told it was opened in 2013 to match others at six EDF-run power plants across the UK; it’s no secret here that public engagement is one of the nuclear industry’s biggest hurdles. The interactive displays…