“Environmental Social and Corporate governance” – EDF and the nuclear lobby try to trick the world with fake “green” credentials

€1bn EDF loan lays the groundwork for nuclear green bond

IFR, 26 Nov 

IFR 2461 – 26 Nov 2022 – 02 Dec 2022 Tessa Walsh A €1bn loan to EDF is the first green[?] loan to be earmarked for the nuclear power industry and shows the increasing renaissance [?]of the nuclear industry as a source of clean[?] energy and energy security [?].

The bilateral green loan from Credit Agricole will finance the maintenance of EDF’s power plants in France. Outages at EDF’s 56-strong fleet of reactors has severely hit production this year and spiralling financial problems prompted the French government to announce plans in July to renationalise the company.

France is buying the 16% of EDF’s capital that it does not already own for an estimated €9.7bn.

The green loan will help fund the “Grand Carenage”, a major industrial programme led by EDF that aims to improve national energy security and extend the operating life of reactors beyond 40 years after a summer of shutdowns and strike action………………………………………..

A green bond with a nuclear use of proceeds could be on the cards post-nationalisation……………..

UK nuclear power plant operator Sizewell C is also looking at ESG-labelled debt in early 2023 to fund part of the £15bn cost of the UK’s new-generation nuclear reactor and is considering green bonds as well as social or sustainable bonds.

New reactors

EDF is bracing for a hit of around €32bn to its full-year core earnings from lower production, and the company first has to stabilise its production and financing before gearing up to invest in expensive new reactors that remain controversial due to concerns about nuclear waste.

France is planning to build at least six reactors in the coming decades at an estimated cost of €50bn. The UK government has also commissioned EDF to build up to eight reactors by 2050 with up to 24GW capacity, many of which will be small modular reactors that could also attract ESG financing……………  https://www.ifre.com/story/3624140/edf-lays-the-groundwork-for-nuclear-green-bond-ljcftcfkqc

November 25, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized