EDF Drops One of its UK Nuclear Projects

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- EDF Energy has postponed one of its planned new nuclear power plants in the U.K. but claimed that two others are still going ahead.

As the U.K. arm of French nuclear power giant, Electricite de France S.A. (EPA:EDF) (EDF) (Paris, France), EDF Energy stated it will no longer pursue an arrangement with the National Grid to establish a new connection to the grid from its Heysham site in Lancashire, England. This rules out Heysham as a potential candidate in the country's planned new nuclear build programme..

The site was one of eight approved for new nuclear power stations by the government in June last year. The suitable sites listed in the Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS) were Bradwell-on-Sea, Hartlepool, Heysham, Hinkley Point, Oldbury, Sellafield, Sizewell, and Wylfa. Those that were ruled out for a variety of environmental reasons included Braystones, Kirksanton and Dungeness. For additional information see June 27, 2011, article - Final Eight U.K. Nuclear Sites Confirmed.

EDF claimed that its commitment was always to building four new reactors, two each at Hinkley Point and Sizewell.

"There was an historic grid connection agreement with National Grid for Heysham, which was put in place by British Energy in 2006 before its acquisition by EDF," the company said in a short statement. "Given that EDF Energy's initial plans for new build are focused elsewhere, this agreement was cancelled last year. This decision also reflected the fact that land at Heysham will be retained by EDF Energy."

It added: "Plans for new build are progressing well and we expect to begin work preparing the site of the first plant at Hinkley Point very shortly".

Work is already underway at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. Last December, Kier Group (KIE.LN) (Bedfordshire, England) and Bam Nuttall, a subsidiary of The Royal BAM Group (BAMNB:EN) (Bunnik, Netherlands), were selected by EDF as the preferred joint venture bidders for site preparation works worth £100 million ($155 million). For additional information see December 15, 2011, article - Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Plant's £100 Million Site Preparation Contract Awarded to Kier Bam.

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