Unique Publications - Independent Publishing in Glastonbury, UK
  • Home
  • About
  • Publications
  • News/Blog
  • River Brue Rehabilitation Board
  • Glastonbury Archive Material
  • Other Glastonbury Authors
  • Bruce's Articles and Stories
  • Antonio Bivar
  • Local Resources
  • Unique Publications History
  • Contact
  • View Shopping Cart

28/2/13: “Nuclear Power Station Setback”

28/2/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Central Somerset Gazette (7.2.13)
Another month has gone by, and still there is no up-to-date news regarding EDF’s plan to build two giant nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point.

Neither the Hinkley Point page on Somerset County Council’s website, nor EDF’s Hinkley Point ‘micro-site' have been updated since about November. In December EDF delayed by three months their decision as to whether they were prepared to go ahead with the project. The Planning Inspectorate’s consideration of EDF’s application for a Development Consent Order appears to have been stalled since then too.

Back in September, the Central Somerset Gazette reported that:
- Centrica (British Gas), which has a 20% stake in the project, is thinking of pulling out.
- EDF is short of money “following government-enforced spending on reactors in France after the Fukushima atomic disaster”, and that
- EDF are consequently looking for new investment partners – notably the Chinese.

Well, it was reported earlier this month that Centrica have indeed pulled out; and prior to that there was a further raft of EU-enforced spending on reactors across the European Union, also as a result of the Fukushima disaster.  This is the most likely reason for EDF having second thoughts about taking on a further large financial commitment at Hinkley Point.

Centrica’s reasons for pulling out were apparently “the increasing anticipated project costs in new nuclear, and the construction timetable extending by a number of years.” According to the Central Somerset, this decision “has sparked renewed speculation that … EDF may now link with Chinese state-owned nuclear company CGNPC.”

In September it was reported that various British MPs and energy advisers are alarmed at the “security risk” posed by the Communist Chinese potentially having access to “the intricate architecture of the UK’s national grid and the processes through which electricity supply is controlled, as well as to the UK’s nuclear technology,” but this idea does not seem to have lain down.

“The twin reactor plant which EDF proposes at Hinkley Point” as the Central Somerset reiterates, “is vital to the government’s energy strategy.” How much they are prepared to subsidise EDF, or hand over state secrets to the Chinese, rather than change course on their energy strategy, we are still to find out. These, I would assume, are the principal matters being discussed behind the scenes whilst no information is being offered to the public.

0 Comments

    Archives

    July 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.