European Approval for EDF's Hinkley Point Nuclear Project

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- Plans by EDF Energy to build a new nuclear power plant (NPP) at Hinkley Point in the U.K. have been given the all clear by the European Commission (E.C.).

The company, which is part of French energy giant Electricite de France (EPA:EDF) (Paris), has already begun awarding contracts for the 3,300-megawatt (MW) power plant. In June EDF Energy selected a joint venture formed by Bouygues SA (EPA:EN) (Paris) and Laing O'Rourke (Dartford, England) as the preferred bidder for the £2 billion ($3.14 billion).civil engineering contract. The work, which will involve around 4,000 workers, is still subject to planning consent and EDF expects to make its final investment decision by the end of the year. For additional information see June 21, 2012, article - EDF Awards £2 Billion Hinkley Point Nuclear Contract.

Located in Somerset, England, the two proposed European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs) it will be capable of generating enough power for around 5 million homes when it is commissioned in 2018. Currently, there are two gas-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor units operating at Hinkley Point, scheduled to be closed before 2020. The two new EPR units will be placed at Hinkley Point C, next to the existing units.

In its report to the U.K. government the E.C. stated that under Article 41 of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) Treaty, Hinkley Point C "fulfils the objectives of the Euratom Treaty and contributes to develop a sustainable national energy mix."

It added: "The Commission further underlines that it remains the sole responsibility of the Investor to ensure, together with the national Regulator, that the chosen design will provide sufficient levels of safety and security. Furthermore, the Commission stresses the importance of addressing the long-term spent fuel and radioactive waste management."

Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, Managing Director of EDF Energy Nuclear New Build, said: "We are delighted that the European Commission has given the Hinkley Point C project a clean bill of health. This is great news and the result of a lot of hard work, as we continue to make progress towards obtaining the necessary planning and regulatory consents for this nationally important development."

Nuclear power will play a key role in the U.K.'s efforts to plug a looming energy gap and meet its green energy targets for 2020. Today, the country has 19 operating reactors, which have a combined generating capacity of around 10,000 MW and which provide about 18% of the country's electricity. However, by 2025, all but one of them will be shut down as they hit the end of their lifetimes. The U.K. government has plans to build up to 16,000 MW of new nuclear power by 2025.

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