One week until Hinkley C planning D-Day

1:00pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Matthew Colledge

One week until Hinkley C planning D-Day One week until Hinkley C planning D-Day

COUNCIL bosses are praying the Gov-ernment’s arm-wrestle with EDF over the price to be paid for Hinkley C’s energy won’t jeopardise a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for the Bridg-water area.

The biggest milestone to-date in the Hinkley C project will be reached by next Tuesday – the deadline for Energy Secretary Ed Davey to decide if a third nuclear power station in Somerset can go ahead.

While the answer is firmly expected to be ‘yes’, there has been intense media focus over the past week on top-level talks over a Contract for Difference, which would give EDF a guaranteed price for energy produced throughout Hinkley C’s lifetime.

The Daily Telegraph reported that talks were “at crisis point” and could “fail within weeks”, with the Government determined to limit any public subsidies and EDF holding out for the best possible price.

EDF said both sides were working towards a price which “will be fair and balanced for UK consumers and investors”.

A spokesman added: “Agreeing this contract is the key to attracting investors and to unlock funding for this project which will give the UK the secure, low carbon energy it needs for the future.”

Sedgemoor District Council leader Duncan McGinty said: “The sooner EDF Energy can get on with building this station the sooner we can start to put into action all the plans we have to make the most of the opportunities it will bring for our communities and to test the measures we want to put in place to minimise disruption.

“We have read plenty in the national press recently about the intense negotiations between EDF Energy and Government and we hope that all principle issues will be resolved by the time we have the answer on the planning consent so that if it is a ‘yes’ we can get moving to help ensure security of electricity supply for the nation.”

David Hall, Somerset County Council’s deputy leader, added: “I very much hope a positive announcement is made soon, which would mean yet another piece of the jigsaw would be in place prior to EDF’s final investment decision.

“Hinkley Point C is a once in lifetime opportunity for Somerset and an opportunity where we must all work together to achieve the maximum benefits for the county".

Comments(13)

greycatz-2 says...
8:19pm Tue 12 Mar 13

the government should not give in on this matter at all. EDF are trying it on big style you have to remember that an agreed unit price now could have terrible effects for our childrens future remember this station will have at least 60 years life span if not more, this is exactly the sort of thing that could ends up costing us all! Perhaps nuclear is not the answer right now but somthing that may need to be looked at in the future we have the possibilities of the fracking for gas and shale gas both of these technologies would be able to bring the gas unit price down making gas turbine electricity generation alot more cheaper in the near future therefore the need for nuclear may not be right now but a little further down the line at which point we would not be held for ransom by a french energy producer. Or maybe the permision will be granted and EDF do not get their way and pull out only for the government to step in and take the project over, of course this would not happen untill the next government term but at least then any profits that would be made will stay in the uk for the uk bill payer to benefit from. Don't worry the chances of the lights going out for real are very low indeed don't belive everything your told.

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greycatz-2 says...
8:27pm Tue 12 Mar 13

sorry not to confuse their are two types of shale gas recovery: hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling.these were the techs i was talking about.

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chris6273 says...
11:52pm Tue 12 Mar 13

But you also have to consider the benefits hinkley C will bring to the area. What do you think will happen with hinkley B is shut down? If C doesn't go ahead, there will be another 1000 or so jobs lost (With the exception of decommissioning jobs). What happens in the future then?

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BaldCarl2 says...
1:04am Wed 13 Mar 13

Chris - if we can't afford a nuclear power station, it won't get built.

Is that simple enough for your feeble brain to understand?

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Alex@SDA says...
8:40am Thu 14 Mar 13

It could be said that this should have been sorted out at the beginning. However Centrica pulled out and they were in for 20%

From a sceptical point of view, by waiting until the 11th hour the Government will feel pressurised (not an intended pun) into giving the go ahead. The rationale being that after all this time and work if the Gov't don't kow-tow to EdF they may well get the blame.

Sadly it will be us the consumer paying the bills, and any profit will go overseas, as with most big industry these days.

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Only me 123! says...
9:54am Thu 14 Mar 13

BaldCarl2 wrote:
Chris - if we can't afford a nuclear power station, it won't get built.

Is that simple enough for your feeble brain to understand?
Have you always been a BULLY? Just because YOU don't agree with another persons views or opinions it doesn't make them feeble minded.IS THAT SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR YOU?

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BaldCarl2 says...
3:40pm Fri 15 Mar 13

There is a very real possibility that we cannot afford this nuclear power station - regardless of the short term benefits to the local community that it will bring.

If people cannot comprehend this then they truly are feeble minded. If pointing this out makes me a bully, so be it.

Interestingly, the range for the agreed price puts it quite close to the price of wind energy - so much for nuclear power being the cheap and clean option.

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BaldCarl2 says...
3:42pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Oh, and when you factor in decommissioning costs, nuclear power is much, much more expensive than offshore wind (never mind on shore wind).

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Samej1 says...
4:08pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Wonder if the deal will include payment for when HPC isn't generating (planned maintenance etc..)?

Because that would be plain stupid wouldn't it? (checks wind subsidies....)

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The Central Scrutinizer says...
8:44pm Fri 15 Mar 13

As somebody else commented previously: it's unsafe, it's uneconomical, and it's unnecessary....

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Blue Owl says...
10:39pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Come on Boy's please play nicely, while I'm away, all this bad feeling &
Back biting. I thought it was only me that suffered your wrath .
Wind farms, on shores will only produce 11% efficiently, off shore is better if placed where it can benefit from good Gusty Winds, which is not a given factor.
I've seen them in France & Germany over the last 20 years, 90 % of the time they are not spinning, therefore not generating Power. Even on a Summers day.
Solar Power is much more efficient than wind Turbines.
All we want from EDF, is a level playing field, with mitigated compensation, for upwards of 10 years disruption to our Town and Lives.. Safe working practices, and good relations with their Contractors & EDF themselves.
Regards Blue-Owl
David L Preece

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Bridgy old Boy says...
9:34pm Sun 17 Mar 13

Yes but want we don't want is the British Energy consumer subsidising a inefficient French owned nuclear power plant for 60 plus years. As Baldcarl mentioned earlier the anti wind farm brigade led by the likes of ILG are quick enough to condemn wind power as being uneconomic but surprise surprise remain unusually silent when the nuclear industry are dipping their hand into the public purse.

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scally666 says...
8:25pm Mon 18 Mar 13

with out HPc and others then its the Russians that will dictate the price we pay for energy so this is the lesser of 2 evils (tho i do not see it as evil)

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