nuclear-news

France’s government says decison on Hinkley nuclear plant is again delayed

Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant decision delayed again by EDF  French economy minister says the energy giant’s green light on the £18bn project is now not expected until September, Guardian, Rob Davies, 25 Apr 16 The decision on whether to go ahead with the £18bn Hinkley Point C nuclear power project has been delayed again, after France’s economy minister said the country’s energy giant EDF may not give it the green light until September.

Emmanuel Macron’s comments come a week after he said EDF would deliver its verdict on Hinkley Point, which is set to meet 7% of the UK’s energy needs, in “the coming week or month”.

EDF said just days ago that it was expecting to make a final decision in the summer, having previously promised to do so by the time of its annual general meeting on 12 May.

The fresh delay raises the prospect that even if the project does go ahead, it will not meet its scheduled completion date of 2025, already eight years later than originally planned.

Macron told a French newspaper that three conditions must be in place before EDF, which is 85% government-owned, could proceed with building two reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

He cited an improvement in EDF’s financial position, consultation with French trade unions and unspecified measures to ensure construction goes according to plan……..

[EDF has]approved a £3.1bn capital injection funded partly by the state, in a bid to shore up its finances ahead of the Hinkley decision……

Greenpeace’s director, John Sauven, responded to EDF’s previous announcement that a decision would not come until the summer by cautioning that the project was doomed…….http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/24/hinkley-point-c-nuclear-power-plant-decision-delayed-again-by-edf

April 25, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general