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French state nuclear giant puts new UK nuclear reactor "on hold"
EDF puts planned Somerset nuclear plant on hold
Uncertainty over nuclear power renaissance grows as French energy firm delays decision on Hinkley Point
Terry Macalister
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 May 2012 14.06 EDT
The award of a £1.2bn civil engineering contract for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset has been put on ice by EDF Energy, triggering more uncertainty over the nuclear renaissance.
Two consortiums led by Balfour Beatty and Laing O'Rourke were hoping to have heard about the huge deal in recent days but now expect no decision until 2013 at the earliest. The move is a blow to employment prospects in the area and comes weeks after £100m worth of site preparation was postponed.
The soonest a new reactor will be built in Somerset could now be 2021, around four years later than originally hoped. EDF declined to comment on the latest setback, with a spokesman for the 83% state-owned French power company saying: "I am afraid it is not our practice to comment on open tenders."
The group insisted that its wider plans remained intact and it aimed to start work on the £100m contract, which was awarded last year to construction partner Kier Bam, "as soon as practicable, and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that work can start in good time".
EDF says it...
Uncertainty over nuclear power renaissance grows as French energy firm delays decision on Hinkley Point
Terry Macalister
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 May 2012 14.06 EDT
The award of a £1.2bn civil engineering contract for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset has been put on ice by EDF Energy, triggering more uncertainty over the nuclear renaissance.
Two consortiums led by Balfour Beatty and Laing O'Rourke were hoping to have heard about the huge deal in recent days but now expect no decision until 2013 at the earliest. The move is a blow to employment prospects in the area and comes weeks after £100m worth of site preparation was postponed.
The soonest a new reactor will be built in Somerset could now be 2021, around four years later than originally hoped. EDF declined to comment on the latest setback, with a spokesman for the 83% state-owned French power company saying: "I am afraid it is not our practice to comment on open tenders."
The group insisted that its wider plans remained intact and it aimed to start work on the £100m contract, which was awarded last year to construction partner Kier Bam, "as soon as practicable, and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that work can start in good time".
EDF says it...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/27/edf-nuclear-delay
(from an earlier post)
The Cameron government is going all out to build an economic platform that will support new nuclear plants. They know that should energy efficiency measures deliver the goods, they will be reducing the potential electricity sales they must have to enable the nuclear plants to run enough to pay for themselves (and even then they'll have to use subsidies).
That begs the question of why their energy efficiency program was designed to fail, and why they haven't responded to continued warnings that it will fail, doesn't it?
From December 2011
'Green deal' will fail, government's climate advisers warn
Scheme to make 14m UK homes more energy efficient will only reach 2-3m households, Committee on Climate Change says
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 December 2011 11.38 EST
...The daft thing is that at the same time [as delivering the green deal plan], the government has put out a national carbon budget plan that states with complete confidence that they will get all the lofts and cavity walls done - but there is no programme to do it," said Warren.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/20/green-deal-fail
Scheme to make 14m UK homes more energy efficient will only reach 2-3m households, Committee on Climate Change says
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 December 2011 11.38 EST
...The daft thing is that at the same time [as delivering the green deal plan], the government has put out a national carbon budget plan that states with complete confidence that they will get all the lofts and cavity walls done - but there is no programme to do it," said Warren.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/20/green-deal-fail
May 2012
David Cameron briefed on concerns over green deal for homeowners
Impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations are set to fall dramatically under current plans
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 16 May 2012 11.43 EDT
...The green deal aims to provide "pay as you save" loans to homeowners to improve their energy efficiency and cut bills. It is due to launch in October but has faced widespread criticism from energy companies, the building industry, consumer groups and charities. The government's own impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations – the most cost-effective measures by far – are set to fall by 93% and 67% respectively under current plans. "The impact assessment says it is going to be a train crash," said Andrew Warren, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy.
The escalation of the issue to Downing Street came on the same day as official data revealed that average home energy bills have shot up by up 12% – £140 – in 12 months, following a doubling in the past six years due largely to rising gas prices. Furthermore, national statistics on fuel poverty due to be published on Thursday are certain to show a rise from the current 5 million homes, a quarter of the total.
The green deal is intended to address fuel poverty, as well as being a crucial policy in cutting the carbon emissions driving climate change, but the Cabinet Office has been told it will flop unless fundamental changes are made. Warren and a series of other senior stakeholders were interviewed by Cabinet Office officials, who reported to Cameron, Clegg and energy secretary Ed Davey on Wednesday.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "As we implement all policy, we maintain constant dialogue with stakeholders and businesses who have an interest. The deputy prime minister and prime minister are fully committed to the green deal." While the commitment to the green deal is not under review, government sources said the implementation of the policy is being discussed...
Impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations are set to fall dramatically under current plans
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 16 May 2012 11.43 EDT
...The green deal aims to provide "pay as you save" loans to homeowners to improve their energy efficiency and cut bills. It is due to launch in October but has faced widespread criticism from energy companies, the building industry, consumer groups and charities. The government's own impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations – the most cost-effective measures by far – are set to fall by 93% and 67% respectively under current plans. "The impact assessment says it is going to be a train crash," said Andrew Warren, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy.
The escalation of the issue to Downing Street came on the same day as official data revealed that average home energy bills have shot up by up 12% – £140 – in 12 months, following a doubling in the past six years due largely to rising gas prices. Furthermore, national statistics on fuel poverty due to be published on Thursday are certain to show a rise from the current 5 million homes, a quarter of the total.
The green deal is intended to address fuel poverty, as well as being a crucial policy in cutting the carbon emissions driving climate change, but the Cabinet Office has been told it will flop unless fundamental changes are made. Warren and a series of other senior stakeholders were interviewed by Cabinet Office officials, who reported to Cameron, Clegg and energy secretary Ed Davey on Wednesday.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "As we implement all policy, we maintain constant dialogue with stakeholders and businesses who have an interest. The deputy prime minister and prime minister are fully committed to the green deal." While the commitment to the green deal is not under review, government sources said the implementation of the policy is being discussed...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/16/david-cameron-green-deal-homeowners
Ooooops. What do you know, it didn't work. Well, at least they'll have a larger market for the desired nuclear plants.
See also this study that looked at the relationship of nuclear power and the alternatives of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The study looks at the US and France, with a separate comparison among the states within the US.
States where utilities have not expressed an interest in getting licenses for new nuclear reactors have a better track record on efficiency and renewable and more aggressive plans for future development of efficiency and renewables, as shown in Exhibit ES-3. These states:
- had three times as much renewable energy and ten times as much non-hydro renewable energy in their 1990 generation mix and
- set RPS goals for the next decade that are 50 percent higher;
- spent three times as much on efficiency in 2006;
- saved over three times as much energy in the 1992-2006 period, and
- have much stronger utility efficiency programs in place.
- had three times as much renewable energy and ten times as much non-hydro renewable energy in their 1990 generation mix and
- set RPS goals for the next decade that are 50 percent higher;
- spent three times as much on efficiency in 2006;
- saved over three times as much energy in the 1992-2006 period, and
- have much stronger utility efficiency programs in place.
Policy Challenges of Nuclear Reactor Construction: Cost Escalation and Crowding Out
LESSONS FROM THE U.S. AND FRANCE FOR THE EFFORT TO REVIVE THE U.S. INDUSTRY WITH LOAN GUARANTEES AND TAX SUBSIDIES
(September 2010). Dr. Mark Cooper, Vermont Law School.
Access pdf here: http://www.psr.org/nuclear-bailout/resources/policy-challenges-of-nuclear.html
Ministers must resist the siren call of spin to prevent climate failure
Trying to tackle the huge challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder
No one thinks it will be easy to slash the carbon emissions driving climate change while keeping the lights on and at an affordable price. But trying to tackle the challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder.
Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, launched a good report on Friday, suggesting the damage wrought on the UK's economy by spikes in global oil, gas and coal prices could be reduced by over half in 2050 as a result of climate change policies.
"Only last year, the impact of the Arab spring on wholesale gas prices, pushed up UK household bills by 20%," he said. "Every step the UK takes towards building a low-carbon economy reduces our dependency on fossil fuels, and on volatile global energy prices."
"The more we can shift to alternative fuels, and use energy efficiently, the more we can ensure that our economy does not become hostage to far-flung events and to the volatility of market forces," he added. So far, so sensible.
But what about the impact of far-flung events on the UK's faltering ambition to build new nuclear power stations? Well, that's a completely different story, apparently. Energy minister Charles Hendry was asked exactly that on Tuesday by MPs...
Trying to tackle the huge challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder
No one thinks it will be easy to slash the carbon emissions driving climate change while keeping the lights on and at an affordable price. But trying to tackle the challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder.
Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, launched a good report on Friday, suggesting the damage wrought on the UK's economy by spikes in global oil, gas and coal prices could be reduced by over half in 2050 as a result of climate change policies.
"Only last year, the impact of the Arab spring on wholesale gas prices, pushed up UK household bills by 20%," he said. "Every step the UK takes towards building a low-carbon economy reduces our dependency on fossil fuels, and on volatile global energy prices."
"The more we can shift to alternative fuels, and use energy efficiently, the more we can ensure that our economy does not become hostage to far-flung events and to the volatility of market forces," he added. So far, so sensible.
But what about the impact of far-flung events on the UK's faltering ambition to build new nuclear power stations? Well, that's a completely different story, apparently. Energy minister Charles Hendry was asked exactly that on Tuesday by MPs...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/may/18/energy-climate-davey-fossil-fuel-nuclear
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