Monday, July 4, 2016

Against the advice of unions, EDF wants to immediately start the Hinkley Point EPR project – The World

Le Monde | • Updated | By

The nuclear station at Hinkley Point on 13  December 2012.

do not procrastinate, postpone the final investment decision (FID) and let the post-float Brexit compromise the Hinkley Point project . Although the four EDF unions (CGT, CFDT, FO, CFE-CGC) reiterate, at the central works council (CEC) Monday, July 4, their refusal to immediate start of construction of EPR reactors in the southwest of Angleterrre, leaders of the electrician believe that remedies have been exhausted: the more there is no reason they believe this investment of 22 billion euros. Not even the legal remedies of the employee representatives for lack of information, which will be held on 22 September. This hearing is not suspended, the opinion of the CEC is only advisory and it would be best that the Board of Directors of EDF mandates its CEO, Jean-Bernard Lévy, to sign the IDF in July, believes -t-on to head the group

Read also:. Hinkley point a project fraught with pitfalls

“the consideration the new British political reality and the need to respect the prerogatives of the CEC are imperative “, yet insisted federations CGT, CFE-CGC and the energy sector a few days before the CEC, the CFDT federation being more conducive to a quick start. Not having received the information, they said, allowed them to rule, staff representatives decided Monday not to issue an opinion. But they confirm that this investment jeopardizes an already heavily in debt (37.5 billion euros). Must be resisted and the modernization investment of 58 French reactors (51 billion by 2025).

The management, for its part, reiterated its position. Brexit “does not change the fundamentals of the project, nor the will of the actors’ to engage in the construction of this nuclear power plant. She believes that “the maximum period of statutory consultation came to an end” and “the opinion of the CEC is made known.” The Hinkley Point project is “now reached the stage of the final decision of the Board of Directors on the investment project” , EDF concludes in its statement.

Mr. Levy relies on the support of the French and British governments. In a statement released Friday 1 st July by Downing Street after a meeting between President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister David Cameron for the 100 th anniversary the battle of the Somme, the two leaders reaffirmed that “the United Kingdom and France always supported the project” .

the master of the Elysee time

the leaders of EDF also relies on the support of Andrea Leadsom, the British energy minister, who could succeed the outgoing Prime Minister. The day after the referendum, the pro-Brexit stressed that the release of the United Kingdom of the European Union (EU) will not change the country’s energy policy. He will need these two reactors, which should provide 7% of UK electricity from 2025, then two more EPR at Sizewell. But who knows if the new government, even favorable to the project, will not decide to renegotiate the terms of the contract, including the price of electricity (92.5 pounds per megawatt hour) granted to EDF?

Read also: is the french nuclear declining?

The Chinese CGN, associated with the project (33.5%) do not want to wait. They are ready, from the vote of the investment decision to pay 1 billion euros to EDF, as recently indicated the number two group to Mr. Levy. Four British unions are on the same wavelength and are mobilizing. Worried about the thousands of jobs generated by the construction of the plant, one of the biggest building sites in Europe, they say “100% for Hinkley Point.” And demanding a quick decision in a letter to the boss of EDF Energy, Vincent de Rivaz.

But the state is a shareholder of EDF to 85% and the proposed Hinkley Point engaging the future of all the French nuclear industry, the Elysee remains master of time. It was Mr. Holland, expert dossier, which will set the calendar. An investment decision in July, as demanded by the direction of the electricity group? Or late September, once justice has ruled on the appeal of CEC and we will see more clear on the consequences of Brexit? Nothing seems even stopped. The economy minister has so far stalled on the end of September. “We will not go faster, we will keep in September” , showed Emmanuel Macron, June 28, visiting the World Nuclear Exhibition organized at Le Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis).

experience feedback

Mr. Levy has to wait for the green light from the government to convene its board. It will also ensure that a majority is obtained for the Hinkley Point project among its eighteen members. The six-employee directors have already warned they will not give him a mandate to sign the final investment decision. The so-called “independent” directors have at least questions about the calendar, while supporting the deployment of EPR in the UK. Only five state representatives and Mr. Lévy itself are totally committed to an immediate start of construction

Read also:. At EDF, pro and anti -Hinkley clash Point

for opponents who consider urgent to wait commissioning of the first EPR, Mr. Lévy replica that yards Flamanville (Manche) and Hinkley Point ” flow well “. When the construction of reactors English starting in 2019, the French EPR should already be in service, such as two slices of Taishan (China). The English project then benefit from these initial feedback. Hundreds of technicians and engineers are hard at work in Britain and France, we are assured at EDF. As for the “optimized EPR”, supposed to be cheaper than its big brother and defended by trade unions, it would not constitute a credible alternative: it can not be proposed to the British without being certified by the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and tested in France. Which would cause a delay of six years from the current project, says a source close to the file.

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