A nuclear power station worker was seriously injured and now two firms are set to be prosecuted over a health and safety breach.

On June 13, 2022, a contractor hurt their foot while working in the vicinity of the main cooling water discharge valves at Dungeness B power station on Romney Marsh.

The incident was a conventional health and safety matter and there was no radiological risk to the public.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has subsequently notified site owners EDF and contractors Trillium Flow Services that they will be prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The decision to begin legal proceedings follows an investigation into the incident by ONR, the UK’s independent nuclear regulator.

The first hearing is scheduled to take place at Folkestone Magistrates Court on March 19.

It is the second recent case related to the power station after an employee was electrocuted while undertaking maintenance work at the power station in November 2023.

An investigation by the agency found electrical systems at the Romney Marsh facility were not up to scratch and has called on Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd (EDF), which runs the site, to make safety improvements.

Having ceased energy production in 2021, the power station is currently in the process of defuelling – a procedure to remove all nuclear fuel – which is expected to take about five years.

In April, plans were revealed by MP Damian Collins and county and district councillors for how they would lobby to secure the continued use of the site.

It came after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the “Great British Nuclear” scheme - reclassifying nuclear power as “environmentally sustainable”, reducing the costs of generating it to produce 25% of the UK’s electricity by 2050.

EDF has declined to comment on the incident in June 2022 due to active court proceedings.

Trillium Flow Services has also been contacted for comment.