The future of the UK’s entire £80bn nuclear new build industry is being put at risk by the government review into Hinkley Point C, a leading nuclear expert has told Building. World-renowned nuclear expert Mycle Schneider – who advises the European Parliament and has advised the UK, France, Germany and Belgium governments on nuclear projects – warned each delay at Hinkley is further diminishing the attractiveness for investors in other power plants. Speaking to Building, Schneider said: “Don’t look at these projects in an isolated way. With every delay, the probability for them to see the light shrinks.” Other planned nuclear plants include the £14bn Wylfa Newydd in Wales, £10bn Moorside in Cumbria, and further down the line Bradwell in Essex and Sizewell C in Suffolk. But Schneider also warned that the Hinkley scheme had an “unrealistic” timetable. His concerns centre on whether the reactor can be built to the schedule outlined by EDF. Three other schemes, in France, Finland and China, using the same European Pressurised Reactor technology planned for Hinkley, are years behind schedule.
Building 4th Aug 2016 read more »
Chinese investors in Hinkley Point C “feel they’ve had two fingers stuck up to them” by the UK government, a source close to the project has told Building. A celebratory event was planned last Friday at the Hinkley site in Somerset after the project was given the go-ahead by EDF the night before, minutes before the government’s decision to review the scheme. Executives from China’s nuclear industry including China General Nuclear – which has a 33.5% stake in the project – were due to attend the event. The source said: “EDF took big names in China’s nuclear industry to the UK for this announcement. Now the Chinese feel they’ve had two fingers stuck up to them by our government. They feel like they’re in the firing line.” However, the source insisted the Chinese were still committed to Hinkley, which was echoed by world-renowned nuclear expert Mycle Schneider. Schneider, who has advised the German, French and UK governments on nuclear policy, said: “The Chinese have the cash and the others don’t, and only China has a vibrant nuclear sector. They still take this project very seriously.”
Building 4th Aug 2016 read more »