A-Infos (en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL Novembre - Hinkley Point: EDF and the large galley EPR (fr, it, pt) [machine translation]

Mired in its EPR projects in Flamanville and Olkiluoto (Finland), the management of EDF 
since 2012 seeks to export two reactors in Britain, in the central Hinkley Point. A 
project that has already generated a real novel of protest. ---- Challenging the 
construction is done on several levels: safety of installations, sustainability of 
partnership with the Chinese operator CGN (or CGNPC, China General Nuclear Power Group), 
EDF finances, ability to finish the job, who will pay. .. the project is well exposed on 
all sides, by the unions as well as by the Board of Directors, through engineers or 
residents of the project. ---- Extra cost of 30 billion compared to renewable ---- But why 
EDF holds it so much to do this project? We must remember that buying British Energy (UK 
nuclear operator) in 2008, EDF had opened a market to build, and at that time had revive 
its growth on the EPR. In 2013 the British government made a power purchase offer to EDF 
at full price, up to 120 euros per kwh as against 40 in France.

This tripling of the price (which will fall on the British taxpayer) is actually a 
disguised subsidy to a project that otherwise would not be viable. And it is based on the 
advantageous mounting EDF embarked on the project of two new reactors at Hinkley Point. At 
the official launch of the project on September 29, the CEO of EDF announced a record 
profit rate of 9% for these reactors. Only thereafter the Board of Directors revised the 
rate to 8%, and again, still lower bound foreseeable setbacks, such as the delay in 
delivery[1]. As this site may be even more complicated than others already late, 
transnational partnership obliges it hard to believe that the event is not thereby 
budgeted. And of course, nor the future decommissioning of the plant or waste management 
are reflected in the calculation of earnings.

The central Hinkley Point already has two reactors (Hinkley A and B, B being the end of 
the activity), and suffered a strong challenge after a fire and a leak in 2012. A group 
Stop Hinkley is active for closure of the plant, and finds himself at the forefront of the 
mobilization against the construction of the EPR[2]. One of its main battle axes is to 
denounce the government's propaganda, which said the central safe, economical and ecological.

Conversely, Opponents emphasize the additional costs for consumers, which will be 30 
billion compared to the price of renewable energy. As for safety, there as everywhere, 
statistically, the next serious accident will occur in twenty years, and EDF has topped 
the list of potential candidates. Level ecology, the argument of nuclear "decarbonised", 
without emission of CO2, is false, it only serves to maintain the central part of the 
"green growth".

Fifty reactors by 2050

Fortunately for us, EDF promised to start construction after the completion of 
Flamanville. The company also has a slight liquidity problem, a debt of 37 billion euros, 
so no one knows how it will finance the new reactors (24 billion euros!), Except the 
state, perhaps, that will inject 4 billion in capitalization and shares by May 2017. and 
then there are the associations appeal to the courts.

EDF's goal is to build a fifty 2050. Either the renewal of the French park reactors, more 
than the English park. But it is a headlong rush widely denounced as EDF is profitability 
crisis, particularly due to the overall decline in electricity prices, which was not 
really expected any more than the current overproduction (energies renewable are 
productive, self-consumption is fashionable).

This is because EDF has more than enough to finance other programs it has negotiated a 
lifespan of central forty years now and beyond, with the proposed "major overhaul" before 
" to upgrade "central to extend.

But remember that this very risky bet will cost 100 billion euros to the group in the 
years to come[3]. EDF, nearing economic collapse, would do better to focus on takedowns. 
Because the only achieved so far, on the site of Brennilis, lasts since 1985, and there 
has yet to fifteen. The logic of irresponsible oversizing inherited from the first wave of 
reactors should it be pursued?

The Hinkley case, and all the renewal of the nuclear fleet reveal the bankruptcy of an 
unsustainable economic model without state subsidies. And now this model driven by others, 
remain debt and radioactive waste. Greatness of France.

Pippin drowned, Al Aveyron

[1]The Duck chained , No. 5004, September 21, 2016.

[2]www.stophinckley.org

[3]Alternative Libertaire , No. 264, September 2016.

http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Hinkley-Point-EDF-et-la-grosse
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