nuclear-news

UK’s nuclear programme: election of France’s President Hollande increases uncertainty

Now doubt has been cast over the commitment of a joint EDF Energy/Centrica consortium to fulfil its commitment to build two other nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk.

EDF is state-owned and while President Sarkozy had a warm relationship with the nuclear sector, his successor, Francois Hollande does not. During his election campaign, M Hollande pledged to close 24 of France’s 58 reactors and to reduce reliance on atomic power.

French threat to UK energy: François Hollande could close nuclear plants By Oliver Wright, 16 May 2012  http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/french-threat-to-uk-energy-franois-hollande-could-close-nuclear-plants-16159391.html#ixzz1v5yddT1I Belfast Telegraph,   “……Britain’s nascent new nuclear programme is in trouble, due to a combination of the economic crisis, the disaster in Fukushima and changing political winds.

Yesterday, giving evidence to Parliament, the Energy Minister Charles Hendry appeared to be unable to guarantee with certainty that any of the five agreed new nuclear power plants would go ahead…… The
first sign of trouble came in March when the German power companies,
RWE npower and E.ON, announced they were pulling out of their joint
venture to build two of the six planned new nuclear reactors at Wylfa
in North Wales and Oldbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire. ….
it was not practical to go-ahead with a £15bn investment in the UK.

Now doubt has been cast over the commitment of a joint EDF Energy/Centrica consortium to fulfil its commitment to build two other nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk.

EDF is state-owned and while President Sarkozy had a warm relationship with the nuclear sector, his successor, Francois Hollande does not. During his election campaign, M Hollande pledged to close 24 of France’s 58 reactors and to reduce reliance on atomic power.

With EDF expected to make a final decision on whether to go ahead with
the UK projects by the end of the year the change of Government could
not have come at a worse time…..
The third nuclear consortium, Nugen, comprises Iberdrola, owner of
Scottish Power, and GDF Suez, the French state-owned gas giant.
Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) was part of the consortium, but
pulled out in September, citing huge costs. ….
Tim Yeo, Chairman of the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change
Committee puts it: “Nuclear energy is exposed to what happens around
the world.

“The industrial nuclear accident in Japan, a decision taken in
Germany, the change in Government in France – all these three things
have a direct impact on global investment in nuclear in this country.
However good the intention is, we are exposed in a particular way –
unlike with some other energy sources – to what happens in countries
quite a long way away which are outside our control.”

Mr Hendry confirmed yesterday that the British Government has no
objection to allowing the contracts for new nuclear to pass to nuclear
nations such as China, Russia and Japan to keep the programme alive.
He said: “As long as they can satisfy us on the safety and the
security then we are happy to talk to them.”

The handing over of such sensitive technology to China or Russia is
certain to re-ignite concerns.

May 17, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, UK