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Hinkley deal raises fears about China’s power over Britain’s nuclear project

dragon-3Security fears over China nuclear power deal, BBC News, 17 Oct 15  Downing Street is playing down security fears about plans to give China a stake in Britain’s nuclear power industry.

A final decision on the new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point, Somerset, could be announced next week during Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit.

Security sources have told The Times the scheme poses a threat to national security – and a senior Tory MP has called for an inquiry.

But No 10 said it would not sign the deal if it thought security was a risk.

Chancellor George Osborne has already announced a £2bn government guarantee to secure Chinese funding for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, to be jointly built with French energy giant EDF at an estimated cost of £24.5bn.

The final go-ahead for the deal could be announced next week – paving the way for a second new reactor to built by the Chinese and French consortium at Sizewell, in Suffolk.

If an agreement is reached, work could then start on the first Chinese-designed and built nuclear reactor in Europe, at Bradwell, in Essex, where a previous British-built reactor is in the process of being decommissioned.

How concerned should we be?………….

Construction of the first Hualong One reactor began in May in China’s Fujian province, according to World Nuclear News.

Gaining regulatory approval from the UK authorities for the design would be a major boost to the Chinese National Nuclear Corporation’s hopes of exporting the technology around the world.

‘Trapdoors or backdoors’

But senior UK defence and security sources reportedly are concerned that the state-controlled company, which helped develop China’s nuclear weapons, poses a national security risk.

They fear “trapdoors or backdoors” could be inserted into IT systems, allowing Beijing to bypass British security measures……..

‘Fait accompli’

Bernard Jenkin, Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, where the Bradwell plant would be built, has called for the government to produce a “comprehensive assessment of the national security implications” of the Chinese scheme……..http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34549478

October 16, 2015 - Posted by | politics international, safety, UK

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