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The former project director for Hinkley Point C has denied he left EDF because he lacked “full faith” in the project.
Chris Bakken quit his post at the start of February after spending 10 years at the French energy supplier. EDF said he was moving to the US “to pursue new professional opportunities” and “spend more time with his family”.
However, there was widespread scepticism over the stated reason for his departure, with a number of people attributing it to concerns over the Hinkley project’s viability.
Bakken has now written a letter to The Times to clear things up. He said it wasn’t because he lacked “full faith” in the project: “Far from it. The reason for my departure was that I was born and brought up in the US and decided to move back to the US so that my wife and I could return to our family.”
He continued: “The economics of the project have stood up to repeated scrutiny. EDF and its Chinese partner are shouldering the construction risks and consumers will not pay a penny until the plant generates its reliable low-carbon electricity.
“Nor is it fair to compare the strike price with today’s depressed wholesale electricity prices. Hinkley will be competitive with all other forms of future electricity generation and its power will be available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.”
Earlier this week EDF’s finance chief also quit the company, reportedly because of concerns over the project. Sources quoted in the Financial Times said Thomas Piquemal met with chief executive Jean-Bernard Lévy several times over the proceeding week to argue for a final investment decision to be delayed by three years.
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