Hinkley plans in dark again as EDF keeps faith with troubled reactor

Commercial start-up of the Areva-designed EPR reactor – of which EDF plans to build two in Hinkley Point, Britain – has been delayed several times, most recently in November, when EDF said it expected the EPR to go only in 2017.

It follows the news that another nuclear project by the company, in Flamanville in France, would begin operating in 2018, having been delayed from 2015.

Nuclear power provides almost a sixth of the UK’s electricity, from nine reactors, eight of which are operated by EDF.

Martin Young wrote in a note to clients on Thursday.

Hinkley Point in the English county of Somerset.

Levy was adamant that the delay would not affect the controversial plans to build two new EPR reactors at Hinkley Point in the UK.

The repeated delays and cost overruns at Flamanville and at another EPR being built in Olkiluoto, Finland have weighed heavily on the French nuclear industry’s reputation and helped competitors from South Korea and Russian Federation win market share.

“Even though the final investment decision (FID) has been pushed back from the initial previsions, the construction time will stay the same, which means that the commissioning date will be updated at the point when FID is made”. While not specifying how long it will take to build the plant, he said the anticipated construction period hasn’t changed. We are in final discussions with the British Government and our Chinese partners. “The deal must represent value for money and is subject to approval by ministers”.

Gary Smith, national officer of the GMB union, said: “The problems with the Flamanville project are well known”.

“Business and domestic consumers face the very real prospect of power cuts and the lights going out in the years to come, if the final investment decision on Hinkley Point – the first new United Kingdom nuclear power plant in decades – is not made very soon”. The budget has increased from an original estimate of 3.3 billion euros. It has been widely criticised as too big and too expensive and Areva has been forced to book billions of euros in provisions due to cost overruns.

“The EPR is a prototype and prototypes are always hard”, Levy said, adding that the new cost estimate was realistic. A year after, the company scheduled to complete electro mechanical erection to be completed and system performance testing.

Cosma Panzacchi wrote in a note.

He said: “All of the experience gained at Flamanville will be invaluable for other EPR projects, and for Hinkley Point C in particular”.

EDF declined to comment on the Figaro report.