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Hinkley nuclear power station planning consent a "boost to low carbon energy" says Government


The Government has granted planning consent which will allow EDF Energy to proceed with the construction of the first new nuclear power station in the UK since 1995, it has announced.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said that the planned project at Hinkley Point, Somerset, would generate enough low carbon electricity to power the equivalent of five million households. The two new reactors, which will be operated by EDF subsidiary NNB Generation, would create between 20,000 and 25,000 jobs during construction and 900 permanent jobs during operation, he said.

"It's vital to get investment in new infrastructure to get the economy moving," Davey said. "Low carbon energy projects will bring major investment, supporting jobs and driving growth."

"This planned new nuclear power station in Somerset 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," he said.

Davey said that he had taken his decision following "rigorous examination" from the Planning Inspectorate and "detailed analysis" by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The approval is the final major permission needed to allow construction of the new facility to begin, following the granting of a Nuclear Site Licence and the approval of the power station's generic design by the UK nuclear safety authority.

Vincent de Rivaz, chief executive of EDF Energy, said that the approval was a "huge achievement, which represents years of hard work".

"The decision sets up a huge opportunity for this project to provide enormous benefits to the UK in jobs, skills, cutting carbon emissions and future energy security," he said. "We are ready to deliver, and an extensive supply chain is standing by to begin work."

"To make this opportunity a reality, we need to reach agreement swiftly on the Contract for Difference (CfD) for Hinkley Point C. It must offer a fair and balanced deal for consumers and investors. Intensive discussions with the Government are taking place and agreement is still possible. The success of this pioneering project will kick start the new nuclear programme in the UK, and is expected to lead to lower costs for successive UK nuclear plants," he said.

CfDs are long term contracts that provide stable revenues for investors in low carbon energy projects, and will be made available for nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCS) as well as renewable energy sources. They are intended to replace existing subsidies and incentives such as the Renewables Obligation. The Government said that it remained in "ongoing discussions" with NNB Generation over the financial terms of the project.

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