GMB welcome commitment of EDF Chairmanto build Hinkley Point C and Sizewell new nuclear low carbon power stations
Together these two new stations will power 10 million homes with low-carbon electricity while Hinkley will create 25,000 new job opportunities says GMB.
GMB, the union for nuclear workers, commented on the announcement by Jean-Bernard Levy, EDF Chairman that the Flamanville nuclear power station in Normandy will now start in Q4 2018 rather that Q4 2017 and that EDF is fully committed to build two new nuclear stations in the UK.
See notes to editors for copy of EDF press release and see here report from Reuters dated 3rd September 2015.
"I have total confidence in the Flamanville EPR. It is a priority for EDF and a major issue for the French nuclear industry and its international reputation," Jean-Bernard Levy, EDF chief executive, told a news conference.
He said Flamanville's problems would have no impact on EDF's plan to build two EPRs in Britain, adding that he had "full confidence in the success of the Hinkley Point project".
"The EPR is a prototype and prototypes are always difficult," Levy said, adding that the new cost estimate was realistic.
He also said that at Hinkley Point, EDF plans to build the same model EPR as in Flamanville, not the simplified "New Model" EPR it is now working on with Areva.
Gary Smith, GMB National Secretary for energy, said "The problems with the Flamanville project are well known. GMB and the French union CGT have spoken out on this before. The fact the company has got a robust project management plan now in place is good news. The agreements GMB have for Hinkley take into account some of the experiences of what went wrong at Flamanville.
The really positive news is the firm commitment from the EDF Chairman both to Hinkley and Sizewell.
This is great news as Hinkley Point C promises 25,000 job opportunities,1,000 apprenticeships and 60% of the construction cost going to UK companies. See notes to editors for copy of previous GMB release dated 31st July.
This means we can look forward to the final investment decision being announced in October.
This is also a really positive announcement in terms of the environment. The UK desperately need the low carbon electricity Hinkley and Sizewell will produce. Together these two new stations will power 10 million homes with low-carbon electricity".
