Nuclear new-build comes closer as government agrees "strike price"
Post date: Oct 23, 2013 11:5:43 AM
The government has agreed a deal with EDF to guarantee the price of electricity generated by a nuclear power plant to be built at Hinkley Point in Somerset.
The news has been welcomed in many quarters. The main challenges now are: to ensure that construction costs don't spiral out of control; and to ensure that new nuclear plants help control rising electricity bills, rather than simply throwing more fuel on the roaring flames of the energy prices bonfire.
The project should bring plenty of work to UK companies, too (some translation work has already been available via agencies). However, the main components of the nuclear part of the plant will be built by AREVA in France, and the turbine will be built by Alstom, also in France. UK companies will be involved in civil engineering and marine construction works (the plant will be built at a coastal site). How sad that the UK doesn't have the capacity to build its own nuclear plants any more.
Check out the news on the BBC website: