Hinkley C Start up

[biffvernon]

Latest contribution to the cause from my brilliant nephew:



More of Stig's work at http://shtiggy.wordpress.com/

[biffvernon]

Spoof postcard poking fun at the recent plan by the UK chancellor George Osborne to pay a Chinese Corporation to build a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The deal may involve a 35-year price promise where British taxpayers are forced to pay for electricity at over twice the current price of power! The PR companies hired by the Nuclear industry are strongly pushing the “low-carbon” angle which is quite misleading. A lot of emissions come from building the huge concrete buildings that house the Nuclear reactors. And lots more emissions are released in the mining, processing and transport of the uranium. Globally, uranium supply is only about 60% of demand, and future stocks will be harder to extract, so now is not a good time to start building new nuclear power stations. Nuclear power is also very expensive to set up – depriving much needed funds from efficiency efforts and renewables. Building a nuclear power station takes over a decade – we need to replace fossil-fueled power sooner than that. But the main reason to avoid new nuclear is just how unsafe it is! Fukushima proved this: if a country as careful and well-organised as Japan can have such a terrible series of disasters at Fukushima we should stay clear of this dangerous technology. For more information please see Stop Hinkley and Greenpeace International. The new Zero-Carbon Britain report is also a great source of information and it shows how we can build a fossil-free economy WITHOUT nuclear power by 2030.

[RenewableCandy]

The Ambrose of Doom weighs in.

The European Commission is close to concluding that Britain’s nuclear programme at Hinkley Point breaches EU state aid rules and may have to be revised, a move that could lead to long delays and even cause the complex deal to unravel.

[biffvernon]

Dunno about 'close to concluding'.
In Damian Carrington's piece for the Grauniad we have:

Almunia gave no indication of how long an investigation might take but the commission sees the government's deal with EDF, Areva and China's General Nuclear Power as complex and highly novel. An investigation is therefore likely to be in-depth to investigate all aspects of the proposals

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... CMP=twt_gu

Complex, highly novel, in-depth and all aspects sounds a long road to kick a can down.

[PS_RalphW]

Latest infrastructure plan includes a new nuke on Anglesey.

[cubes]

A few weeks ago we opined that it may be necessary to look to the EC for our salvation in the matter of the government's enthusiasm for lining EDF's palm with gold for 35 years via its intended exorbitantly-priced electricity contract for the planned Hinkley C nuclear power station.

http://www.cityunslicker.co.uk/2014/02/ ... -like.html

[biffvernon]

Wow! Yo for the EU Commission. There are an awful lot of words but a good many of them are going to be pretty unwelcome to the UK Government.

Like I said, It'll never be built.

http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_a ... 7_35_2.pdf

(Who can spot the error, twice, in paragraph 24?)

[RenewableCandy]

WHEN are people going to twig about the difference between the capacity to slap Cameron on the face (posession of at least one hand), and the work involved in slapping him once per hour?

[biffvernon]

Correct answer, RC.

I've not heard any mention int' news about this little billet doux from Brussels. Is someone sweeping it under the carpet or are journalist just too lay to read it. http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_a ... 7_35_2.pdf

[biffvernon]

The next installment from the EU http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/ ... 8L20140207

European Union antitrust chief Joaquin Almunia said on Friday Britain must clarify why state aid is needed to build a 19 billion euro ($26 billion) nuclear plant with French state-controlled utility EDF.

"We need the UK authorities' cooperation. My intention is to be able to adopt a final decision on this before the end of the year," he told reporters in London.

The European Commission has challenged the British government's assertion that power price guarantees and state-backed loans for the Hinkley Point project are legitimate aid.

In a 68-page letter to the British government dated Dec. 18 and released last week it said the Hinkley Point contract between EDF and the government has the "potential to distort competition and affect trade between Member States".

Specifically, it said a proposed "Contract for Difference" guaranteeing prices for power the plant produces "effectively insulates" EDF and its investment partners from the market.

The government proposes guaranteeing a power price of 92.50 pounds ($150) per megawatt-hour for 35 years, which is more than twice the current market rate.

The Commission asked Britain to reply and submit any additional information within a month.

[RenewableCandy]

I remember also seeing a more recent installment of this fascinating saga in which the EU were saying that the UK had only answered the 1/2 of their queries: HMG had apparently told them nothing about the arrangements for handling waste. Which apparently include "sweetner" dosh to be sent to the relevant "comunities" (i.e. to local govt ejits who'll blow the lot on vanity projects).

This isn't exactly bringing out the best in human nature (myself included!) is it?..

[biffvernon]

Yes, hence the bottom line: The Commission asked Britain to reply and submit any additional information within a month.

[RenewableCandy]

The funny thing is, they can't. They've no idea what to do with the waste long term, since those types in Cumbria sent them packing.

As if that's not enough, the French (people, I mean, not government) have a deep-seated antipathy to permanent underground disposal, even if they can be satisfied that it's safe. Basically, You don't mess about with La Terre.

[biffvernon]

Labour seem to be as bad as the other lot
http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... al-hinkley

[biffvernon]

Ooops, not all is well in Finland. What lessons for Hinkley? http://www.ejolt.org/2014/03/is-areva-f ... n-finland/