Hinkley Point C in doubt after British government delays approval (nuclear power) [View all]

[muriel_volestrangler]

Britain’s first new nuclear power station for a generation is in fresh doubt after the government delayed making a final decision on the £18bn Hinkley Point C, despite EDF’s directors voting to start work on the project.

The government said ministers would now conduct another review of the controversial project and make an announcement in the early autumn about whether to give it the green light.

The announcement surprised EDF, the French energy company leading Hinkley Point C. EDF was preparing to sign contracts with the government on Friday but has now cancelled press interviews that it was planning to hold with Vincent de Rivaz, the boss of its UK arm.

Greg Clark, the business, energy and industrial strategy secretary, said: “The UK needs a reliable and secure energy supply and the government believes that nuclear energy is an important part of the mix.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/28/hinkley-point-c-to-go-ahead-after-edf-board-approves-project

This really has astonished everyone. EDF had a controversial board meeting yesterday, which voted 10-7 to go ahead (with one director resigning over it), and they had everything ready for a signing ceremony today. Now they're taking down the tent, and the Chinese investors are flying back to China. The British government is refusing to say anything more than you see in the article.

"EDF shares rose as much as 8 percent in Paris"