Civil Nuclear Constabulary ends 20-year presence at Hunterston

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) has officially ended its 20-year armed policing presence at Hunterston Nuclear Power Station in Ayrshire, Scotland. The cessation, which took place on 1 August 2025, marks the conclusion of two decades of continuous security at the site.

The carefully planned process ensured officers and staff were supported into redeployment, retirement or alternative roles within other organisations, while day-to-day operations at Hunterston remained unaffected.

“I would like to thank all the CNC officers and staff who have worked hard to protect the Hunterston site over the past two decades. Their positive and professional outlook throughout those years has been exemplary. This same professional approach ensured the CNC maintained high-level armed policing at the site, while simultaneously managing a complex cessation process with professionalism and commitment.”

Chief Constable Simon Chesterman.

This is the first cessation the CNC has carried out since withdrawing from Wylfa Power Station in Wales in April 2016. Such processes form part of the normal lifecycle of licensed civil nuclear sites: once a station ceases generation and defuelling is complete, its security classification can be downgraded.

The formal handover was completed in coordination with EDF, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

Chief Constable Chesterman also acknowledged the wider effort behind the transition, adding:
“Many colleagues have supported the cessation process, and I would like to pay tribute to them for all the hard work which has gone on behind the scenes to make it a success.”

The departure closes a significant chapter in Hunterston’s history, as the site continues its transition through the nuclear decommissioning process.

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