British Energy today vowed to get the Sizewell B nuclear power station working again within days after it unexpectedly shut down on Tuesday.

Half a million people were hit by unscheduled power cuts after seven power stations, including Sizewell B in Suffolk, stopped working within hours of each other.

Speaking after British Energy reported that earlier power plant problems had eaten into its profits for the last financial year, chief executive Bill Coley pledged that the 1,180MW plant would be back online soon.

"It appears to be an instrument problem. There is no issue with the plant and it should return (to operation) very quickly," Coley said. ... Read full article