UK poised to sign deal with China for Bradwell nuclear plant: reports

The UK Prime Minister is poised to seal a deal with China, allowing it to build a prototype nuclear reactor at a site in Bradwell, Essex.

Media reports over the weekend suggested the deal would be in return for China’s help in paying for two new plants owned by EDF Energy – one at Hinkley Point and another at Sizewell.

One month ago reports surfaced that the Hinkley new nuclear deal has been agreed between Government and EDF, with an agreement to be signed in October during the Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to the UK.  

But fresh reports from The Times say that under the pact, which is part of a larger nuclear contract between Britain, France and China, EDF will sell its rights to the Bradwell development site in return for China’s financial support for Hinkley Point and Sizewell. The Chinese nuclear reactor design is expected to be capable of producing 1GW of electricity.

Despite this progress EDF implied late last week that its flagship Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant would not start generating power in 2023 as originally planned.

The firm would not confirm a commissioning date for the £24.5 billion project, but at a recent press conference, chairman Jean-Bernard Lévy said it “will be updated at the point when [the final investment decision] is made”.

In 2013, EDF said it expected Hinkley to begin generating electricity by 2023, subject to FID in July 2014.

However, in February, reports surfaced that the FID could be delayed to as late as October this year, due to negotiations between EDF and its Chinese project partner.

The company is currently experiencing problems with the construction of its Flamanville nuclear power plant in France. However, it insisted this will provide “invaluable learning” for other projects such as Hinkley.