Rolls-Royce betting small is beautiful when it comes to UK nuclear power January 9, 2021 For many, nuclear power stations are eyesores – great slabs of gun-metal grey cluttering up the UK’s coastlines. But that could be about to change. Last year FTSE 100 blue-bloods Rolls-Royce announced it was planning on building a fleet of 16 so-called “small modular reactors” (SMRs) in a move that would shake up the UK’s [...]
Sizewell C: Nuclear plant under scrutiny over Chinese role June 3, 2020 A quiet corner of the Suffolk coastline is set to become a new frontier in the debate over the UK’s changing relationship with Chinese foreign direct investment. Last week EDF submitted a planning application for Sizewell C, a new 3.2 gigawatt nuclear plant which could provide enough power for 6m homes. The project has been [...]
Hinkley Point C construction continues apace with completion of reactor base June 1, 2020 Construction at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset remains on track despite the coronavirus crisis, with contractors today meeting a key milestone in the building of the new plant. With work continuing under special coronavirus measures, workers at the plant have completed the 49,000 tonne base for the second nuclear reactor, meeting a [...]
Coronavirus: EDF to furlough Hinkley Point workers after reducing site numbers March 29, 2020 Hundreds of workers at EDF’s Hinkley Point C nuclear plant are being furloughed after the firm decided to cut the number of workers on site by more than half. In an attempt to cut costs, the Telegraph reported that many of the site’s workers are being moved onto the government’s employee retention scheme, which guarantees [...]
EDF warns Hinkley Point may overshoot budget by £3bn September 25, 2019 Britain’s signature new nuclear plant could cost up to £2.9bn more than expected, EDF warned today as it signalled that the chance of a delay to the project has increased. The French energy giant said that the new price for Hinkley Point C is estimated at between £21.5bn and £22.5bn, an increase of £1.9bn to [...]
EDF seeks guarantee for nuclear project June 23, 2019 French energy giant EDF wants a government guarantee of help if a £20bn nuclear power station runs over budget. The firm is telling potential investors in its Sizewell C plant that it wants ministers to step in with a guarantee on the project, the Sunday Times reported. Read more: Government headache as Hitachi pulls out [...]
Rolls-Royce confirms supply talks for Chinese-backed nuclear project in Essex January 21, 2019 Rolls-Royce has confirmed it is considering supplying equipment for a power plant China’s largest state-owned nuclear firm plans to build in Essex. China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) is looking to ease concerns over national security on the project planned for Bradwell on the Essex shoreline, which using Rolls-Royce as a supplier could help with. [...]
Chancellor George Osborne “confident” about Hinkley Point deal September 8, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne has said that the government's plan to build a new nuclear power plant at the Hinkley Point power station is on track. "I am pretty confident that we are going to be able to do a deal, but we are still in the negotiations," he told the Lords Economic Affairs committee. Britain [...]
Balfour Beatty named as preferred bidder on £460m Hinkley Point contract July 31, 2015 Balfour Beatty has been appointed the preferred bidder to construct nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C in a multi-million pound contract. The construction group has been named alongside engineering group NG Bailey in a 50-50 joint venture as the firms expected to deliver the critical infrastructure behind the station. The contract with EDF Energy [...]
400 jobs cut at EDF’s Hinkley nuclear power station project April 2, 2015 French power giant EDF has cut 400 contractors' jobs at the £16bn Hinkley Point C power station. In a statement, the company said because negotiations with potential investment partners have been delayed, it was not prepared to keep investing in the project – although it will continue to make preparations for the next phase of [...]