Price for energy crucial as Hinkley C deadline draws near (From This is The West Country)
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Price for energy crucial as Hinkley C deadline draws near
11:32am Monday 18th February 2013 in News By Matthew Colledge
Price for energy crucial as Hinkley C deadline draws near
EDF Energy says getting a decent price from the Government for its electricity remains the last piece of the jigsaw to ensure that Hinkley C goes ahead.
The firm remained tight-lipped this week about national media reports that it has asked the Treasury to underwrite its new nuclear project following the withdrawal of a major backer, Centrica.
However, EDF referred to previous comments from its chief executive, Vincent de Rivaz, on talks with the Government on the Contract for Difference – a guaranteed price the firm will receive for its energy throughout the lifetime of its nuclear power stations.
Mr de Rivaz said: “This Contract for Difference is now more than ever the key to attracting investors and to unlock the funding for this project, which will give the UK the secure, low carbon energy it needs for the future.”
The Mercury understands the CFD is unlikely to be agreed before March 19, the cut-off point by which time Energy Secretary Ed Davey will have announced whether or not Hinkley C has planning approval.
A Treasury spokesman declined to comment on any negotiations with EDF, but did say the Government’s UK Guarantee Scheme, launched last year, was available to help kick-start major infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, Sedgemoor District Council has written to organisations in Somerset which will play a part in the construction of Hinkley C.
Council leader Duncan McGinty said: “We are keen that if the go-ahead is given we can get on with it as soon as possible and ensure there are no delays or blockages preventing this vitally important project from being finished on time.”
Comments(12)
smithy99
says...
1:57pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Jon Alsbury wrote:Hinkley Point has been here for years so saying things like 'unwanted here' is a little ridiculous as it has been here for years. They are adding to and extending the reactors.
unsafe, uneconomical, and unwanted here!
There are many Nuclear Power stations over the UK and we would all be in serious trouble if any one of them had a disaster (not solely Hinkley Point) the argument for 'not being safe here' does not stack up, we are a small island. Nuclear power is one of the cheapest fuel production methods but is generally frowned upon because of the Nuclear Waste issues and concerns over radiation if a disaster was to happen, but we already have numerous stations in the UK so adding to Hinkley will make no difference to this. Take Nuclear out of the equation and consumer bills would be treble of what they are today. I DON'T WORK FOR THE INDUSTRY BY THE WAY.
Ka7e
says...
4:29pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Old Phucker
says...
9:26pm Mon 18 Feb 13
BaldCarl2
says...
10:56pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Ka7e wrote:Smithy99 - what this actually does is to guarantee nuclear energy as very expensive and not the cheapest as you mistakenly believe.
So French-owned EDF not only want the UK government to underwrite their expansion, they also want a guaranteed price for their product?
The UK government cannot afford to build a power station. EDF thought they could until nuclear reactors started exploding in Japan a couple of years ago.
Put nuclear in the equation and consumer bills will be treble what they are today. I DON'T WORK FOR THE INDUSTRY BY THE WAY
greycatz-2
says...
11:12pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Old Phucker
says...
9:37am Tue 19 Feb 13
greycatz-2 wrote:Agreed.
We know deep down that the british tax payer is going to pay for the new power station one way or the other.Thank you EDF but your work here is done, time to hand over to the british government.Its this kind of project that needs to be built to pull this country back off it's knees and also to allow us to continue to live in the kind of high tech world we live in.Infrastructure of this nature should only ever be owned by the state for the states benefit not that of another state.
Cyborgigy
says...
4:21pm Tue 19 Feb 13
EDF who is owned by the French government, want the UK government to guarantee that they, the French government, will always profit from British consumers, and ALL profits going to the French government. Meanwhile they also want the British government to pay the £70Billion to store and clean the waste and BTW, can you keep this dangerous nuclear waste in Britain please.
Sounds fair. If you are the French Government.
Why don't they just build it in Northern France and the Uk import the electric. Oh, I forgot, they tried that and its 3 years late, 200% over budget, and condemned by the EU safety inspector.....
Bridgy old Boy
says...
5:28pm Tue 19 Feb 13
BaldCarl2
says...
7:57pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Only me 123!
says...
10:29am Wed 20 Feb 13
Jon Alsbury wrote:Unwanted by whom? You perhaps.EDF is not & never will be a charity, so for those of you who are surprised EDF are in discussion with the government over the price they will receive are naive to say the least, and on a cheerier note just wait until the lights start to go out, as they will, if a reliable form of generation isn't put in place soon.
unsafe, uneconomical, and unwanted here!
awayswing
says...
9:26am Thu 21 Feb 13
Only me 123! wrote:Reliability is important but if people cannot afford to pay the bill the lights will be out anyway,at which,no doubt,the price to the consumer will go up again because of lack of use.One of the main reasons the government were pushing nuclear generation was that it would not be subsidised.Another promise broken.
Jon Alsbury wrote:Unwanted by whom? You perhaps.EDF is not & never will be a charity, so for those of you who are surprised EDF are in discussion with the government over the price they will receive are naive to say the least, and on a cheerier note just wait until the lights start to go out, as they will, if a reliable form of generation isn't put in place soon.
unsafe, uneconomical, and unwanted here!
Jon Alsbury says...
12:06pm Mon 18 Feb 13