The timing will fascinate nuclear’s many critics, given that the new build programme suffered a blow earlier this week when Centrica finally confirmed that it would not join EDF in pouring billions into building and operating a station at Hinkley Point. There was even an emergency debate held in the Commons, which looked to scupper the Government’s talks with EDF over the guaranteed minimum price the French giant will be paid for the electricity it will generate there.

There are two ways of looking at this: either Mr Stone is leaving because he knows the programme is doomed, or he has achieved what he set out to do. The latter would mean that the Government and EDF have all but agreed what is known as a “strike price”, which means the French group gets the guaranteed return it needs to persuade shareholders that UK nuclear is worth investing in.

I understand that is indeed the case, and that the strike price will be announced before Mr Stone leaves at the end of next month. A number of £95 to £99.50-odd per megawatt hour has been virtually signed, sealed and delivered, which nuclear’s supporters will claim makes it the cheapest form of clean energy available on any scale to the country.

That, coupled with Mr Collins’ ambition over equality, would mark two significant triumphs for senior figures at the Big Four accountant. The timing couldn’t be better: another former highly regarded KPMG star is Vicky Pryce, whose last marriage to the former cabinet minister responsible for nuclear, Chris Huhne, is currently being so publicly picked apart in court.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/mark-leftly-nuclear-job-done-for-kpmg-luminary-stone-8486213.html

AND SOME MORE GOOD WORKS BY VICKY HERE

Poverty Project – Vicky Pryce on the cuts

Published on Feb 7, 2013

“We may see things happening here as they are in Europe, particularly in Greece..where Poverty levels have increased so substaintially there are soup kitchens for Greeks…and there are people that live in sheds and garages” Vicky Pryce, Economist.

Vicky Pryce is a woman of clear integrity, says former spy chief

Vicky Pryce was described as “a person of clear integrity” by a former head of MI6, in a statement read out on Monday at her trial for taking speeding points for her former husband, Chris Huhne.

8:07PM GMT 11 Feb 2013

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/9863697/Vicky-Pryce-is-a-woman-of-clear-integrity-says-former-spy-chief.html