French political commitment to Hinkley Point C ‘completely confirmed’

French economy minister Emmanuel Macron has stated that the French government is completely committed to seeing Hinkley Point C go ahead amid growing uncertainty over prospects for the new nuclear project.

Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr this weekend, Macron stated that “political commitment is completely confirmed” for Hinkley Point C.

He added that remaining challenges will be of a technical nature, but emphasized when Marr asked directly if the plant would go ahead “that is my view”.

The future of Hinkley Point C, which was confirmed as Britain’s foremost new nuclear project in 2010, has become increasingly uncertain in recent months for both financial and technical reasons.

The financial director of the plant’s French owner EDF quit last month due to concerns that the £18bn project would jeopardise the company’s financial position. Meanwhile EDF is struggling with continued technical problems in relation to the reactor technology proposed for Hinkley Point. It is currently causing delays to the build of EDF’s Flamenville project.

A final investment decision for the 3.2GW Hinkley Point power station has now been expected for many months but has been repeatedly postponed causing growing numbers of commentators to speculate that the plant will not go ahead.

Some have said that the project should be abandoned because it is no longer a fit for purpose solution for the future. Since the plant was first mooted they say that advances in the economics and generating capacity of renewable power, coupled with growing maturity in demand side response and energy storage, mean that it is no longer an essential element in Britain’s transition to a low carbon economy.

Writing for Utility Week last month, Jonathan Gaventa, director of environmental consultatncy E3G said “it is clear a combination of demand reduction, renewables, interconnection and flexibility would be more than enough to fill the gap if Hiinkley Point C is withdrawn – and could do so more quickly, more reliably and more cheaply than the original Hinkley Point C project plan.”

Advocates of nuclear power however, insist that it reamins an important element in a balanced low carbon generation mix for the future.