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UK Dept of Energy sees big struggle ahead for nuclear power plans

DECC is concerned that EDF could repeat the mistakes seen at Olkiluoto 3 in Finland, where the construction of an EPR has been delayed by four years and is 50 per cent over budget.

UK faces monumental challenge  to hit 2018 new build nuclear deadline, Power Gen, 11/18/2010The UK is facing a “monumental challenge” to generate power from the first of a planned fleet of nuclear power stations by 2018, according to the head of new nuclear at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

French utility EDF, owner of former state-owned nuclear utility British Energy, wants to build four of Areva’s EPRs (European Pressurized Reactors), with the first due online at Hinkley Point C in 2018. But issues over planning, financing, licensing and construction delays have put that deadline in doubt, said Hergen Haye.
Speaking at the European Nuclear Supply Chain conference in London, Haye said DECC is concerned that EDF could repeat the mistakes seen at Olkiluoto 3 in Finland, where the construction of an EPR has been delayed by four years and is 50 per cent over budget.

Haye told Power Engineering International: “Is the 2018 deadline very challenging? Yes. The UK is in a better position as the EPR won’t be a first-of-a-kind project, but we are worried about the Finland example being repeated in terms of delays and cost-overruns. There is a monumental challenge ahead of us.”

Haye said DECC was facing down opposition from local residents near Hinkley Point. “We must never take the local community for granted or there will be an uprising. When we tell local people that Hinkley Point C will take seven years to build and will be operating for 40 years, they have concerns over their quality of life.”

Environmental groups such as Greenpeace could still stall the nuclear program…

UK faces “monumental challenge” to hit 2018 new build nuclear deadline

November 19, 2010 - Posted by Christina MacPherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium