29 Mar (NucNet): Angus Brendan MacNeil, the chairman of the UK parliament’s Energy and Climate Change Committee, has said it was “very disappointing” that EDF Energy chief executive officer Vincent de Rivaz had failed to commit to a firm timeline for a final investment decision on the Hinkley Point C nuclear project in a recent testimony to the committee.
Mr MacNeil addressed his concerns to the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd on 24 March in an open letter published on the parliament’s official website.
On 23 March, Mr de Rivaz told the committee in London that the Hinkley Point C project will “clearly and categorically” go ahead with a final investment decision at the beginning of May.
He referred to earlier statements by the French minister of the economy Emmanuel Macron.
Mr de Rivaz was at the time unable to give a precise date and said he could “agree” that the decision would come “very soon”.
In his letter, Mr MacNeil said he would like to know what pressure the UK government will be applying to the French government in order to secure a final decision on the project.
He also said he would be calling Mr de Rivaz to another parliamentary committee hearing if the decision does not come by the “middle of May”.
EDF is planning to build two Areva 1,600-megawatt EPR units at Hinkley Point C in southwest England.
The letter is online: http://bit.ly/22WYLBe
