Nuclear energy generates about 10 per cent of global electricity, accounting for roughly a quarter of low-carbon power. These figures underline its continued relevance in balancing energy demand with climate commitments.

‘400+ reactors across 31 nations’: How nuclear energy is making a global comeback 40 years after Chernobyl disaster

An era is about to draw close in Germany. The country will shut down operations in its remaining three nuclear power plants on Saturday — marking the end of the atomic age that spawned more than six decades.

An era is about to draw close in Germany. The country will shut down operations in its remaining three nuclear power plants on Saturday — marking the end of the atomic age that spawned more than six decades. The European nation and its populace have always harboured a strong anti-nuclear sentiment. The campaign to exit nuclear energy started during the Cold War after the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine and it was accelerated after the 2011 Fukushima Daichi disaster in Japan. Shutters are coming down 12 years later. "The risks of nuclear power are ultimately unmanageable," said Environment Minister Steffi Lemke as she visited the Japanese plant earlier this week. The three plants to shut down later on Saturday provided six per cent of Germany's energy last year — down from the highs of nearly 31 per cent that all nuclear plants provided in 1997. Notably, Germany has shut down 16 reactors since 2003. Extension of power plants It was last year in October that Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced to keep the three plants running till April amid a looming power crisis, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war. "The legal basis will be created to allow the operation of the nuclear power plants Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland beyond December 31, 2022, until April 15, 2023," said Scholz at the time. ALSO READ | Amid looming power crunch, Germany decides to extend operations of remaining 3 nuclear plants Russia supplies about 40 per cent of the European Union's gas. And Germany relies on Moscow for 55 per cent of its gas needs. Though it has managed to reduce this to 35 per cent and wants eventually to reduce imports to zero, Germany has been mulling increasing the use of coal and extending the life of power stations despite the negative environmental impact. WATCH | Germany keeps two nuclear reactors on standby amid Europe's energy crisis × Experts, however, are puzzled that Berlin is going ahead with its plan to use coal energy, despite the serious environmental ramifications it has. “At a time of heightened concern about energy security, Germany will be abandoning assets that can displace 34 billion cubic metres of gas a year," Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the UK’s Nuclear Industry Association was quoted as saying in The Guardian. To offset the loss of nuclear plants and the energy they provided, Scholz has called for installation of "four to five wind turbines a day" over the next few years. However, the ground reality remains different as only 551 wind turbines were installed last year. With the country planning to close all coal-fired power plants by 2038 with the first round of closure planned in 2030 — the clock is ticking for Scholz's administration to ensure energy stability for the public. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Nuclear power phase-out: Germany switches off remaining three reactors permanently

In a landmark move, Belgium has decided to shut down all of its nuclear reactors by 2025, but the country is not bidding a farewell to nuclear energy just yet. It will now invest in a new generation of nuclear technology.

Belgium to shut down all of its nuclear reactors by 2025 to invest in new nuclear technology

According to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-environment-ministry-says-no-leak-at-taishan-nuclear-power-station-391794"> China's</a> state-run Global Times, the country has started construction of the world's first commercial modular small reactor on land&nbsp;in south China's Hainan province.

The Chinese newspaper said the project has been launched by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and will have power generation capacity of 125,000 kilowatts and its annual power generation capacity would be 1 billion kilowatt hours capable of serving 526,000 households.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-calls-chinas-nuclear-arsenal-build-up-concerning-395363/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The report added the small reactor technology has independent intellectual property rights which was developed by CNNC for over ten years and reportedly has high safety and flexible deployment capability.

The Linglong 1 was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency&nbsp;(IAEA) in 2016 after a safety test, it said.

The reactor can use <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/potential-leak-in-china-nuclear-plant-facing-performance-issue-report-391432">nuclear</a> energy for various functions including power generation and can be used in the mining sector, industrial parks and for high-end consumption industries.

The newspaper quoting CNNC said that the new reactor can greatly reduce the consumption of fossil fuel and help in decreasing carbon emissions.

China has reportedly built 51 nuclear power units with 19 under construction. The Linglong 1 is being built as a demonstration project in Changjiang nuclear power plant paving the way for modular small reactor technology to be taken up on a global scale.

China currently has the world's third-largest park of nuclear reactors after the United States and France and has invested heavily in developing the nuclear energy sector.

Last month a report said French company&nbsp;Framatome had warned of an "imminent radiological threat" at the Taishan nuclear plant, however, Chinese authorities said radiation levels were normal.

(With inputs from Agencies)

According to China's state-run Global Times, the country has started construction of the world's first commercial modular small reactor on land in south China's Hainan province.

According to China's state-run Global Times, the country has started construction of the world's first commercial modular small reactor on land in south China's Hainan province. The Chinese newspaper said the project has been launched by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and will have power generation capacity of 125,000 kilowatts and its annual power generation capacity would be 1 billion kilowatt hours capable of serving 526,000 households. Watch: The report added the small reactor technology has independent intellectual property rights which was developed by CNNC for over ten years and reportedly has high safety and flexible deployment capability. The Linglong 1 was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2016 after a safety test, it said. The reactor can use nuclear energy for various functions including power generation and can be used in the mining sector, industrial parks and for high-end consumption industries. The newspaper quoting CNNC said that the new reactor can greatly reduce the consumption of fossil fuel and help in decreasing carbon emissions. China has reportedly built 51 nuclear power units with 19 under construction. The Linglong 1 is being built as a demonstration project in Changjiang nuclear power plant paving the way for modular small reactor technology to be taken up on a global scale. China currently has the world's third-largest park of nuclear reactors after the United States and France and has invested heavily in developing the nuclear energy sector. Last month a report said French company Framatome had warned of an "imminent radiological threat" at the Taishan nuclear plant, however, Chinese authorities said radiation levels were normal. (With inputs from Agencies)

China begins construction of world’s first commercial modular small reactor

French energy major EDF on Friday said it has submitted a binding techno-commercial offer to build six pressurised water reactors at Maharashtra's Jaitapur to Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).

The energy major termed this as a major milestone, which will enable discussions aimed at converging towards a binding framework agreement in the coming months.

The offer is the culmination of the work carried out jointly with NPCIL further to the signature of the Industrial Way Forward Agreement on March 10, 2018, which was followed by a non-binding offer submitted later in the same year, a statement said.

"This key milestone has been achieved thanks to the trust-based relationship built over time with our Indian partner, and the excellent collaboration and continuous efforts of the EDF and NPCIL teams," EDF Group's chairman and chief executive Jean Bernard Levy said.

He called it a step towards the materialization of the flagship project, and the establishment of a long-term partnership in the civil nuclear field between both our leading nuclear industries.

The binding offer was submitted on Thursday, and includes the detailed technical configuration of the reactors, taking into account the information provided by NPCIL on the Jaitapur site conditions and the joint comprehensive work performed by EDF and NPCIL, and the comprehensive commercial terms and conditions for the supply of engineering studies and equipment for the six EPR reactors.

The statement from the French company said the offer is based on the complementary skills of EDF and NPCIL, and aims to build a long-term partnership between the French and Indian nuclear industries.

The main principles for the offer involves EDF providing the EPR technology, which includes getting the know-how from its subsidiary Framatome for engineering studies and supply for six nuclear steam supply systems and partners with its historical partner GE Steam Power for the supply of the engineering studies and equipment of the six conventional islands, the statement said.

EDF has also guaranteed the performance of each of the six EPR units under specific conditions and for a predefined period of time and will also offer training services for NPCIL's future operating teams, the statement said, making it clear that the French company is neither an investor in the project nor in charge of the construction.

The second principle of the offer includes NPCIL being responsible for the construction and the commissioning of each of the six units of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant, as well as for obtaining all necessary permits and consents in India, including the certification of the EPR technology by the Indian safety regulator, as the owner and future operator of the plant.

During the construction phase, NPCIL may benefit from EDF and its partners' assistance, notably regarding the sharing of other EPR project-related lessons learned, it added.

In order to promote Indian interests, EDF will be identifying Indian companies that can act as suppliers for the project, it said, adding that about 200 entities have already been pre-qualified.

It will also launch a pre-feasibility study, conducted by EDF, I2EN (International Institute of Nuclear Energy) and VJTI (Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute), for the establishment of a centre of excellence in India aiming to train engineers and technicians, and to support the development of the necessary set of skills for the project.

The six reactors will create 25,000 jobs during the construction phase and 2,700 permanent jobs, it said, adding that the French industry will also be benefited during the 15 year long project.&nbsp;

French energy major EDF on Friday said it has submitted a binding techno-commercial offer to build six pressurised water reactors at Maharashtra's Jaitapur to Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).

French energy major EDF on Friday said it has submitted a binding techno-commercial offer to build six pressurised water reactors at Maharashtra's Jaitapur to Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). The energy major termed this as a major milestone, which will enable discussions aimed at converging towards a binding framework agreement in the coming months. The offer is the culmination of the work carried out jointly with NPCIL further to the signature of the Industrial Way Forward Agreement on March 10, 2018, which was followed by a non-binding offer submitted later in the same year, a statement said. "This key milestone has been achieved thanks to the trust-based relationship built over time with our Indian partner, and the excellent collaboration and continuous efforts of the EDF and NPCIL teams," EDF Group's chairman and chief executive Jean Bernard Levy said. He called it a step towards the materialization of the flagship project, and the establishment of a long-term partnership in the civil nuclear field between both our leading nuclear industries. The binding offer was submitted on Thursday, and includes the detailed technical configuration of the reactors, taking into account the information provided by NPCIL on the Jaitapur site conditions and the joint comprehensive work performed by EDF and NPCIL, and the comprehensive commercial terms and conditions for the supply of engineering studies and equipment for the six EPR reactors. The statement from the French company said the offer is based on the complementary skills of EDF and NPCIL, and aims to build a long-term partnership between the French and Indian nuclear industries. The main principles for the offer involves EDF providing the EPR technology, which includes getting the know-how from its subsidiary Framatome for engineering studies and supply for six nuclear steam supply systems and partners with its historical partner GE Steam Power for the supply of the engineering studies and equipment of the six conventional islands, the statement said. EDF has also guaranteed the performance of each of the six EPR units under specific conditions and for a predefined period of time and will also offer training services for NPCIL's future operating teams, the statement said, making it clear that the French company is neither an investor in the project nor in charge of the construction. The second principle of the offer includes NPCIL being responsible for the construction and the commissioning of each of the six units of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant, as well as for obtaining all necessary permits and consents in India, including the certification of the EPR technology by the Indian safety regulator, as the owner and future operator of the plant. During the construction phase, NPCIL may benefit from EDF and its partners' assistance, notably regarding the sharing of other EPR project-related lessons learned, it added. In order to promote Indian interests, EDF will be identifying Indian companies that can act as suppliers for the project, it said, adding that about 200 entities have already been pre-qualified. It will also launch a pre-feasibility study, conducted by EDF, I2EN (International Institute of Nuclear Energy) and VJTI (Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute), for the establishment of a centre of excellence in India aiming to train engineers and technicians, and to support the development of the necessary set of skills for the project. The six reactors will create 25,000 jobs during the construction phase and 2,700 permanent jobs, it said, adding that the French industry will also be benefited during the 15 year long project.

India: French energy giant submits binding techno-commercial offer to build six nuclear reactors

Israel&#39;s military admitted for the first time Wednesday it was responsible for a 2007 air raid against a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor, a strike it was long believed to have carried out.

The admission along with the release of newly declassified material related to the raid comes as Israel intensifies its warnings over the presence of its main enemy Iran in neighbouring Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also repeatedly called for the nuclear deal between world powers and Iran to be changed or eliminated.

US President Donald Trump, who met Netanyahu at the White House this month, has said that the nuclear deal must be &quot;fixed&quot; by May 12 or the United States will walk away.

An Israeli military spokesman declined to respond to questions related to the admission and the release of the documents, including over the timing, which could be seen as a warning regarding Iran&#39;s activities.

The declassified material includes footage of the strike, video of a speech by military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot on the operation and pictures of secret army intelligence communiques about the site.

A military statement summarising the operation lays out the case for why Israel carried out the strike at the desert site in the Deir Ezzor region of eastern Syria on what it says was a nuclear reactor under construction.

It has long been widely assumed that Israel carried out the strike. Syria has meanwhile denied it was building a nuclear reactor.

&quot;On the night between September 5th-6th, 2007, Israeli Air Force fighter jets successfully struck and destroyed a Syrian nuclear reactor in development,&quot; the Israeli statement says.

&quot;The reactor was close to being completed. The operation successfully removed an emerging existential threat to Israel and to the entire region -- Syrian nuclear capabilities.&quot;

&#39;Strategic implications&#39; 
Israel&#39;s admission is by no means the first time its military has been identified as the source of the attack.

In 2008, less than a year after the strike, US officials accused Syria of having sought to build a secret nuclear reactor and acknowledged Israel destroyed it in the raid.

The UN atomic watchdog declared in 2011 that the Syrian site was &quot;very likely&quot; to have been a nuclear reactor, adding that information provided to it suggested that it was being built with North Korean assistance.

Israel said in its new disclosures that secrecy surrounding the strike was necessary due to the sensitive security situation.

In defending the strike, it notes that Islamic State group jihadists later overran much of Deir Ezzor during Syria&#39;s civil war, while also saying that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad &quot;in the past used chemical weapons against his own citizens.&quot;

&quot;The nuclear reactor being held by Assad would have had severe strategic implications on the entire Middle East as well as Israel and Syria,&quot; it said.

While Israel&#39;s admission will come as little surprise, the declassified material provides new details on what is widely known as &quot;Operation Orchard.&quot;

The material speaks of an ultra-secretive operation, with very few knowing details of the strike and a cover story provided.

Israeli intelligence had picked up on what it determined was the construction of the nuclear reactor and followed its development, it says.

Four F-16s and four F-15s were involved in the strike, with the operation beginning at 10:30 pm on September 5 and the planes returning at 2:30 am the following day.

Grainy footage of the strike included in the material shows a target locking on to a building that is blown apart shortly afterward.

Israel determined that the alleged reactor was &quot;totally disabled, and that the damage done was irreversible.&quot;

Israeli military chief of staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, who was northern commander at the time, recalled in a video in the material meeting with his officers shortly before the raid.

&quot;I don&#39;t give them the exact details of the target and its essence, but I say that there&#39;s going to be a significant attack in the upcoming 24-48 hours, an event that in low likeliness could lead to war,&quot; he said.

&quot;Low, to me, is even 15 or 20 percent, which is a lot.&quot;

&#39;Message&#39; sent? 
Syria and Israel have fought in repeated wars since the Jewish state&#39;s founding in 1948. The two countries are still technically at war.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, but it acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

Hezbollah is fighting alongside Assad&#39;s regime, like Iran and Russia.

Israel has expressed growing concern over what it sees as Iran&#39;s attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria.

It also accuses Iran of seeking to build factories to construct precision-guided missiles in Syria and Lebanon that could be used against Israel.

Beyond that, Netanyahu has warned that Israel will &quot;never let Iran develop nuclear weapons.&quot;

Eisenkot spoke of the &quot;message&quot; of the 2007 strike, while making reference to a 1981 Israeli raid against a nuclear reactor in Iraq.

&quot;The message from the 2007 reactor attack was that Israel won&#39;t accept the construction of abilities that could constitute an existential threat to the state of Israel,&quot; he said in the video.

&quot;That&#39;s the message from &#39;81, that&#39;s the message from 2007 and that&#39;s our future message to our enemies.&quot;

It has long been widely assumed that Israel carried out the strike. Syria has meanwhile denied it was building a nuclear reactor

Israel's military admitted for the first time Wednesday it was responsible for a 2007 air raid against a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor, a strike it was long believed to have carried out. The admission along with the release of newly declassified material related to the raid comes as Israel intensifies its warnings over the presence of its main enemy Iran in neighbouring Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also repeatedly called for the nuclear deal between world powers and Iran to be changed or eliminated. US President Donald Trump, who met Netanyahu at the White House this month, has said that the nuclear deal must be "fixed" by May 12 or the United States will walk away. An Israeli military spokesman declined to respond to questions related to the admission and the release of the documents, including over the timing, which could be seen as a warning regarding Iran's activities. The declassified material includes footage of the strike, video of a speech by military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot on the operation and pictures of secret army intelligence communiques about the site. A military statement summarising the operation lays out the case for why Israel carried out the strike at the desert site in the Deir Ezzor region of eastern Syria on what it says was a nuclear reactor under construction. It has long been widely assumed that Israel carried out the strike. Syria has meanwhile denied it was building a nuclear reactor. "On the night between September 5th-6th, 2007, Israeli Air Force fighter jets successfully struck and destroyed a Syrian nuclear reactor in development," the Israeli statement says. "The reactor was close to being completed. The operation successfully removed an emerging existential threat to Israel and to the entire region -- Syrian nuclear capabilities." 'Strategic implications' Israel's admission is by no means the first time its military has been identified as the source of the attack. In 2008, less than a year after the strike, US officials accused Syria of having sought to build a secret nuclear reactor and acknowledged Israel destroyed it in the raid. The UN atomic watchdog declared in 2011 that the Syrian site was "very likely" to have been a nuclear reactor, adding that information provided to it suggested that it was being built with North Korean assistance. Israel said in its new disclosures that secrecy surrounding the strike was necessary due to the sensitive security situation. In defending the strike, it notes that Islamic State group jihadists later overran much of Deir Ezzor during Syria's civil war, while also saying that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "in the past used chemical weapons against his own citizens." "The nuclear reactor being held by Assad would have had severe strategic implications on the entire Middle East as well as Israel and Syria," it said. While Israel's admission will come as little surprise, the declassified material provides new details on what is widely known as "Operation Orchard." The material speaks of an ultra-secretive operation, with very few knowing details of the strike and a cover story provided. Israeli intelligence had picked up on what it determined was the construction of the nuclear reactor and followed its development, it says. Four F-16s and four F-15s were involved in the strike, with the operation beginning at 10:30 pm on September 5 and the planes returning at 2:30 am the following day. Grainy footage of the strike included in the material shows a target locking on to a building that is blown apart shortly afterward. Israel determined that the alleged reactor was "totally disabled, and that the damage done was irreversible." Israeli military chief of staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, who was northern commander at the time, recalled in a video in the material meeting with his officers shortly before the raid. "I don't give them the exact details of the target and its essence, but I say that there's going to be a significant attack in the upcoming 24-48 hours, an event that in low likeliness could lead to war," he said. "Low, to me, is even 15 or 20 percent, which is a lot." 'Message' sent? Syria and Israel have fought in repeated wars since the Jewish state's founding in 1948. The two countries are still technically at war. Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, but it acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah. Hezbollah is fighting alongside Assad's regime, like Iran and Russia. Israel has expressed growing concern over what it sees as Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria. It also accuses Iran of seeking to build factories to construct precision-guided missiles in Syria and Lebanon that could be used against Israel. Beyond that, Netanyahu has warned that Israel will "never let Iran develop nuclear weapons." Eisenkot spoke of the "message" of the 2007 strike, while making reference to a 1981 Israeli raid against a nuclear reactor in Iraq. "The message from the 2007 reactor attack was that Israel won't accept the construction of abilities that could constitute an existential threat to the state of Israel," he said in the video. "That's the message from '81, that's the message from 2007 and that's our future message to our enemies."

Israel admits 2007 Syrian 'nuclear reactor' strike for first time

French energy giant EDF yesterday approved a contested plan to build Britain&#39;s first nuclear power station in decades but the British government said it would wait before taking a final decision. 
 
Britain&#39;s business and energy minister Greg Clark said the government would review the nuclear project, shortly after EDF&#39;s board backed a project which critics fear could bankrupt the French utility. 
 
&quot;The UK needs a reliable and secure energy supply and the government believes that nuclear energy is an important part of the mix,&quot; Clark said.&nbsp;&quot;The government will now consider carefully all the component parts of this project and make its decision in the early autumn.&quot; 
 
Before the deal can go ahead it must be approved by Prime Minister Theresa May. 
 
EDF&#39;s directors had been deeply divided over the planned construction of two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in southwest England for $23.8 billion. 
 
&quot;At its meeting on 28 July 2016, EDF&#39;s board of directors made the final investment decision,&quot; the company said in a statement. 
 
Ten members of the board voted in favour of the deal, while seven voted against, a source told AFP. 
 
Upping the tension, one board member resigned just before the crunch meeting, saying he disagreed with the plan, reducing the board of directors to 17. 
 
Unions seek delay 
 
The Sizewell B nuclear power plant was the last to go online in Britain, starting generation in 1995. 
 
The plan to build the latest generation EPR reactors, signed in 2013, is to be carried out by EDF with Chinese partner CGN, but has hit several snags since.&nbsp;The reactors are due to go online from 2025. 
 
Weighing on its viability is the decision of French nuclear company Areva to drop out because of financial difficulties and the subsequent takeover of Areva&#39;s obligations by EDF at the behest of the French government, which owns 85 per cent of EDF. 
 
This pushed EDF, which was already struggling under a debt mountain of $41.4 billion at the end of last year, to go further into the red, leading some to question the group&#39;s ability to juggle all its liabilities, including the renovation of France&#39;s nuclear operations and the takeover of Areva&#39;s reactors amid falling energy prices. 
 
Unions fear for EDF&#39;s financial survival and have asked for a delay of at least three years of any decision on the British nuclear plans, even waging a court battle to stop the momentum. 
 
EDF chief financial officer Thomas Piquemal resigned in March over the threat the project represents to the company&#39;s finances, and CEO Jean-Bernard Levy has acknowledged that the company&#39;s &quot;financial trajectory is taut&quot;. 
 
EPR reactors, developed mostly by France&#39;s Areva, are the latest generation of nuclear reactors and among the most powerful in the world, and according to Areva, the safest.&nbsp;There are only two other ongoing EPR reactor projects in Europe, one in Normandy in France and the other in Finland, and both have been plagued by delays and cost overruns. 
 
&#39;Too big to fail&#39; 
 
The French government has been doggedly determined to get Hinkley Point approved as it sees the project as crucial for the long-term viability of France&#39;s nuclear industry, which employs 220,000 people. 
 
Previous British governments have also been in favour because the reactors will cover up to seven per cent of Britain&#39;s electricity needs while helping the government meet its CO2 emissions targets because of relatively low carbon emissions from nuclear energy.&nbsp;But British support is not unanimous, and criticism focuses on the growing difference between an electricity price guarantee for EDF, subsidised by the British taxpayer, and current falling energy prices. 
 
EDF would be guaranteed &pound;92.50 per megawatt hour produced by Hinkley Point over 35 years, giving it an estimated nine percent of return on its capital.&nbsp;But Britain&#39;s National Audit Office has warned that the potential cost of this subsidy had risen to &pound;29.7 billion from a 2013 estimate of &pound;6.1 billion because of the drop in energy prices. 
 
There have also been environmental concerns.&nbsp;Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said the power station was &quot;terrible value for money&quot;. 
 
The EDF decision &quot;just shows the Hinkley deal became too big to fail in the eyes of British and French politicians,&quot; he said. 
 
(AFP)

Britain's business and energy minister Greg Clark said the government would review the nuclear project and make its decision in early autumn

French energy giant EDF yesterday approved a contested plan to build Britain's first nuclear power station in decades but the British government said it would wait before taking a final decision. Britain's business and energy minister Greg Clark said the government would review the nuclear project, shortly after EDF's board backed a project which critics fear could bankrupt the French utility. "The UK needs a reliable and secure energy supply and the government believes that nuclear energy is an important part of the mix," Clark said. "The government will now consider carefully all the component parts of this project and make its decision in the early autumn." Before the deal can go ahead it must be approved by Prime Minister Theresa May. EDF's directors had been deeply divided over the planned construction of two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in southwest England for $23.8 billion. "At its meeting on 28 July 2016, EDF's board of directors made the final investment decision," the company said in a statement. Ten members of the board voted in favour of the deal, while seven voted against, a source told AFP. Upping the tension, one board member resigned just before the crunch meeting, saying he disagreed with the plan, reducing the board of directors to 17. Unions seek delay The Sizewell B nuclear power plant was the last to go online in Britain, starting generation in 1995. The plan to build the latest generation EPR reactors, signed in 2013, is to be carried out by EDF with Chinese partner CGN, but has hit several snags since. The reactors are due to go online from 2025. Weighing on its viability is the decision of French nuclear company Areva to drop out because of financial difficulties and the subsequent takeover of Areva's obligations by EDF at the behest of the French government, which owns 85 per cent of EDF. This pushed EDF, which was already struggling under a debt mountain of $41.4 billion at the end of last year, to go further into the red, leading some to question the group's ability to juggle all its liabilities, including the renovation of France's nuclear operations and the takeover of Areva's reactors amid falling energy prices. Unions fear for EDF's financial survival and have asked for a delay of at least three years of any decision on the British nuclear plans, even waging a court battle to stop the momentum. EDF chief financial officer Thomas Piquemal resigned in March over the threat the project represents to the company's finances, and CEO Jean-Bernard Levy has acknowledged that the company's "financial trajectory is taut". EPR reactors, developed mostly by France's Areva, are the latest generation of nuclear reactors and among the most powerful in the world, and according to Areva, the safest. There are only two other ongoing EPR reactor projects in Europe, one in Normandy in France and the other in Finland, and both have been plagued by delays and cost overruns. 'Too big to fail' The French government has been doggedly determined to get Hinkley Point approved as it sees the project as crucial for the long-term viability of France's nuclear industry, which employs 220,000 people. Previous British governments have also been in favour because the reactors will cover up to seven per cent of Britain's electricity needs while helping the government meet its CO2 emissions targets because of relatively low carbon emissions from nuclear energy. But British support is not unanimous, and criticism focuses on the growing difference between an electricity price guarantee for EDF, subsidised by the British taxpayer, and current falling energy prices. EDF would be guaranteed £92.50 per megawatt hour produced by Hinkley Point over 35 years, giving it an estimated nine percent of return on its capital. But Britain's National Audit Office has warned that the potential cost of this subsidy had risen to £29.7 billion from a 2013 estimate of £6.1 billion because of the drop in energy prices. There have also been environmental concerns. Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said the power station was "terrible value for money". The EDF decision "just shows the Hinkley deal became too big to fail in the eyes of British and French politicians," he said. (AFP)

France's EDF gives green signal for nuclear plan, UK defers

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