The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

After 44 years of safely generating electricity, the world's oldest working nuclear power station was finally set to turn off the power at the end of February.

Oldbury, near Bristol, was originally due to close in 2008 but gained approval to continue following safety reviews with the site's regulators and has since generated electricity worth an estimated £300 million to the taxpayer.

One of its reactors closed last summer, in line with its scheduled programme, while the second reactor was able to continue generating.

The last months were marked by a campaign to maximise electricity generation, with a complex inter-reactor transfer programme to move useable fuel to the second reactor, which successfully increased output by 6MW.

Meanwhile, members of the workforce were also beginning to prepare for the defuelling and decommissioning phase that will take place over the years ahead.

During its lifetime, the site produced enough power for more than one million homes over 20 years.

Dr Brian Burnett, NDA's Head of Programme, said:

"Oldbury has a long and proud history of safely generating electricity. Our thanks go to the Magnox workforce who have been extremely committed to maximising the plant's generating life, ensuring it was able to continue past its original planned closure date. Its income has been valuable in supporting our mission to decommission the UK's first generation of civil nuclear sites."

In addition to many years of power generation, Oldbury starred in numerous TV shows including Doctor Who and Blake Seven, while Slade recorded a performance on one of the pile caps for an episode of Top of the Pops.