Nuclear plant in Hinkley gets planning consent

Ed Davey gives consent to EDF to build plant in Somerset

A new nuclear power plant will be built in the UK after planning permission was granted by energy secretary Ed Davey.

French firm EDF will be allowed to build two new reactors on the site of an existing power station, which is set to close in 2023, at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The new plant will become one of the biggest in the UK, with estimates suggesting the two 1.6-gigawatt reactors will produce 7% of the country’s energy, enough to power over 5m homes. The new plant at Hinkley will likely be the first in a new wave of power stations as the Coalition looks to replace aging coal and nuclear plants across the country.

The new plant will replace the existing one at Hinkley Point

(Image source - This Is Somerset)

Davey said following the announcement, ‘It's vital to get investment in new infrastructure to get the economy moving. [Hinkley] will generate vast amounts of clean energy and enhance our energy security. It will benefit the local economy, through direct employment, the supply chain and the use of local services’.

However, Davey and EDF are still in negotiations over how much subsidy the energy firm will get during the life of the plant. It is thought officials are discussing a contract that would guarantee the French company being paid nearly £100 for each megawatt hour of electricity produced over 30 to 40 years.