黑洞社区

Energy secretary Ed Davey has dashed hopes of an imminent deal with EDF over the construction of Hinkley C nuclear power station, warning he is willing to see the project fail if a deal can鈥檛 be reached.

In an exclusive interview with 黑洞社区, Davey said he could give no guarantee over when or even if a deal will be reached that allows work to start on the 拢10-14bn nuclear project.

EDF received planning permission for the nuclear plant in February, but is waiting to finalise a deal with the Department for Energy and Climate Change over the guaranteed price for the power generated by the plant 鈥� known as the strike price 鈥� before deciding whether to go ahead.

Davey said: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 give you a timetable for that particular negotiation. I wish I could.

鈥淚鈥檝e made my position absolutely clear within government and to EDF. I want value for money for the consumer, I want an affordable price, I want something that is fair for British business. I鈥檓 not prepared to sign a deal in order to sign a deal.

鈥淣uclear is a mature industry 鈥� it鈥檚 been around 50 years or more. It鈥檚 got to compete with other low carbon technologies, and if it can鈥檛 compete with other technologies we won鈥檛 sign a deal.鈥�

He added his department was in 鈥渋ntense and constructive鈥� negotiations with EDF, with some 鈥渞ather critical鈥� issues remaining around the strike price.

With the scheme on hold EDF began a process of laying off some of its 800 staff on the project in April. This week the firm confirmed the fact 鈥� first reported by 黑洞社区 in May 鈥� that it will not make a final investment decision regarding the project until the end of the year.

Davey also implied that the two other consortiums looking to build nuclear plants in the UK 鈥� Hitachi and GDF Suez/Iberdrola 鈥� may actually be the first to start on site, despite the fact both those consortium are thought to be at least four years away from construction.

鈥淲e鈥檙e talking to Hitachi and those negotiations are going really well. Hitachi have got a very strong track record of building on time on budget. And let鈥檚 see what happens with the third consortium GDF Suez and Iberdrola, I鈥檓 quietly confident we鈥檒l see movement there.鈥�

In a wide-ranging interview with 黑洞社区 magazine, Davey also admitted to 鈥渢eething problems鈥� with the Green Deal retrofit programme and tensions within the coalition over environmental policy. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to pretend that every green issue that come up we鈥檝e agreed on. But the outcome of this [debate] has been a very green outcome.鈥�