Torness Nuclear Power Station, near Dunbar in East Lothian, about 30 miles east of Edinburgh, is the UK’s last advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) plant. Built for the South of Scotland Electricity Board, construction began in 1980 and the station was commissioned in 1988. Operated by EDF Energy, Torness is a major landmark visible from the A1 and East Coast Main Line, and is scheduled to shut down in March 2030 before decommissioning.

Plans for Torness followed years of public debate and strong opposition from anti-nuclear campaigners. After a 1974 inquiry and protests, consent was granted in 1978 for two AGR reactors designed by the National Nuclear Corporation with equipment from NEI and GEC. Unit 2, commissioned in 1989, was the last AGR reactor to enter service. The plant later passed from Scottish Nuclear to British Energy, and then EDF following privatisation.

Sharing its design with Heysham 2, Torness uses a graphite-moderated, gas-cooled system with a total output of 1,364 MW. It was known for its advanced computerised control system, operated by over 70 Ferranti Argus 700 computers. Originally due to close in 2028, EDF extended its life to 2030 for energy security reasons, with a potential review for limited operation beyond that date.