Hinkley nuclear power station - an update

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 14 May 2012, 18:40

The Guardian - 14/05/12

The massive earthworks needed to prepare the ground for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley in Somerset have been delayed, the Guardian has learned, dealing a significant blow to the government's energy plans.

Half of the big six energy companies have already abandoned their nuclear plans as too expensive, but the Hinkley plant is backed by the most pro-nuclear energy company, EDF, which is 83% controlled by the French state.

Article continues ...

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 14 May 2012, 19:39

Love this bit:

. "We aim to start the earthworks as soon as practicable and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that work can start in good time," said an EDF spokesman. Some preparatory work had begun since planning permission was granted in February, he said, including cutting hedges and demolishing old buildings. Internally, EDF blamed the delay on cost overruns on the preparatory work. One source involved in the project told the Guardian the work so far had been a "farce".

If they can't even trim a hedge without a cost overrun...

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 15 May 2012, 19:05

Sounds like they need to employ a decent Quantity Surveyor rather than relying on the people who costed their last two jobs which both went significantly over price.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 16 May 2012, 17:44

Our hedge needs a trim, I'd better not get EDF to do it

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 16 May 2012, 18:24

How many millions have you got, Candy?

alex · Post by **alex** » 08 Nov 2012, 23:13

Take a look at this then....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy ... qus_thread

I really wonder if this guy is really up for it as he says, or perhaps will turn into a similar sycophant as Hulme transpired to be.

Time will tell

alex

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 09 Nov 2012, 04:47

It's just part of the bargaining process.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 09 Nov 2012, 07:52

I like this bit from the Torygraph report:

However Phillip Lee, a Tory MP, has argued that the model looked like it was “structured to pay an annuity to the French taxpayer for the next 40 years”.

No new nuclear power station will ever be built in the UK.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 11 Nov 2012, 14:08

biffvernon wrote:No new nuclear power station will ever be built in the UK.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Nov 2012, 09:01

Hinkley Point licence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-20499033

alex · Post by **alex** » 08 Dec 2012, 15:24

This came to light earlier today. Don't know how much credence as this seems to be the only article on this.

EdF to postpone decision on Hinkley C

Hit the link above.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 08 Dec 2012, 17:56

Oh it's true all right. This is being kicked into the long grass, now that they've already cut down the trees and shrubs on the site (prior to grant of planning permission).

I'm afraid this is in French http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article ... 23448.html
but it's easy to see that EDF have issues at home.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 10 Dec 2012, 16:06

Spot on as ever: Schnews and nukes.

A public consultation will take place over the coming months although this is probably just a formality: EDF have already disclosed financial sweeteners for the local communities to justify and compensate for their plans. The bribes include future road building and P.F.I. for the education and training of the local youth. This is identical to those offered to West Somerset Council, who greedily accepted them viewing the new build as National policy and therefore inevitable. They rushed forward permission to allow preparatory work on the Hinkley Point site, thus allowing the devastation of the land. Ancient Oak woodland has been destroyed and miles of hedgerows ripped up, decimating the habitats of birds, insects and small mammals.

This is just the beginning of the destruction, as the big players in the construction industry scramble to get a slice of this highly toxic pie. Already Balfour Beatty has secured a £30 million subsidy to build three new jetties at Combewich on the River Parot, so that heavy machinery can be transported there - displacing the local residents who moor their boats there. Kier Construction has landed the contract to carry out the major earth works.
To give you an idea of the scale of this project, which will take 10 years to complete, it will involve enough steel reinforcements to build up to 9 HMS aircraft carriers and five London Eyes. Each nuclear island will be as big as St Paul's Cathederal and enough concrete will be used that it could fill Twickenham Rugby Stadium to the brim. To move all of this EDF have gained permission for up to 750 H.G.V movements every 18 hours, although this will likely average out at around 500 truck movements a day, delivering a total of 5 million tonnes of aggregate to the site. Somerset locals are horrified at the prospect of this level of heavy traffic rumbling through their villages.

As local papers inform the residents of Chilkwell Street in Glastonbury that all these vehicles are heading their way, the council has been quick to respond. They say that all the aggregate will arrive via Junction 23 and 24 on the M5. EDF will then build a new bypass around Cannington, a village near Hinkley. Not that this is a good thing: they have Compulsory Purchase rights and have already bought up half of the land and properties in the area to house their workforce. Other ways to reduce the impact on the transport network is the construction of two 'park and ride' facilities. At these services as there will be an expected 508 bus journeys a day bringing the rest of the workforce in and out of Hinkley.

alex · Post by **alex** » 12 Dec 2012, 16:18

It will be Europe's largest construction project to date.

Future road building as proposed is insufficient, and badly placed. There will be a Cannington by-pass over prime agricultural land and will cause noise and pollution to the village as too adjacent.

The timeline for the Cannington by-pass was to be operational three-quarters of the way into the build. EdF say that differential has been reduced by 6 months. That is simply due to the 6 month delay (to date) in starting the main build. We will still have several years of traffic before the by-pass is up & running.

The trucks which are rumbling through our village at present are in the main carrying out remedial work, and are supposed to enter and leave the village by a designated route. That is being contravened, I reported some who were failing to comply earlier today.

The Barnes report of 1989 relating to the original public enquiry into Hinkley C advocated a by-pass from Bridgwater to the approaches to their site. At the time the proposed new build would have been 25% in scale of what is now under consideration.

The Bridgwater by-pass was a condition at that time, now EdF have managed to convince the authorities that a bit of tinkering with traffic lights and nipping off some corners will do the trick.

As well as the 750 HGV Trucks* per day as mentioned, there will be 900 buses, and then other incidental build traffic,according to EdF figures. All on top of what we already endure on an over subscribed road that is far too narrow.

*HGV Trucks incidentally are vehicles of 3 or more axles as per EdF. Therefore we have to factor in all the rigid trucks to be added to the above.

Alex

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 12 Dec 2012, 17:11

There are times when I'd like to be back in West Somerset, as I miss my dog friendly beach and Exmoor, but reading about what's going on at Hinkley Point puts me off

.