Geograph - photograph every grid square

Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations from the air

Sizewell A, the rectangular block, was built in the 1960s, and is a British design using gas as the heat transfer fluid from the nuclear fuel to the steam for the turbines. This is known as an AGR - Advanced Gas cooled Reactor. The later Sizewell B, with its big white dome housing the reactor, is an American Westinghouse design, a PWR - Pressurised Water Reactor - using pressurised very clean water as the transfer fluid. Plans are now being put together to build a C and possibly D station to the north (right) of the site - these are likely to be based on the new French 'European Standard' design, already being built in Finland and on the French coast.

Two platforms can be seen at sea, marking the intake and outlet for A station cooling water.

Two lines of pylons can be seen carrying away power to the top left corner of the picture. With the A station now closed these will also be used for the windfarm being built offshore. The building site by the Leiston road (Leiston can be seen towards the top of the frame) is for the windfarm equipment.

This photograph was taken from a light aircraft, which was subject to special height and clearance requirements around this site.