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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hinkley nuclear power plant expected to get go-ahead | Hinkley nuclear power plant expected to get go-ahead |
| (6 months later) | |
| The government is expected to announce on Tuesday that it is giving the go-ahead to the first of a planned fleet of new nuclear reactors in the UK. | The government is expected to announce on Tuesday that it is giving the go-ahead to the first of a planned fleet of new nuclear reactors in the UK. |
| The energy secretary, Ed Davey, will announce whether he is granting consent for EDF to build a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. | The energy secretary, Ed Davey, will announce whether he is granting consent for EDF to build a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. |
| The plant's two nuclear reactors would be capable of producing 7% of the UK's electricity, enough to power 5 million homes, EDF said. | The plant's two nuclear reactors would be capable of producing 7% of the UK's electricity, enough to power 5 million homes, EDF said. |
| A final investment decision by the company to go ahead with construction also depends on a deal being negotiated with the government on the "strike" price paid for electricity generated by the plant. | A final investment decision by the company to go ahead with construction also depends on a deal being negotiated with the government on the "strike" price paid for electricity generated by the plant. |
| Under electricity market reforms, low-carbon power such as nuclear reactors and offshore windfarms will have long-term contracts with a guaranteed price for their electricity, to give investors certainty to invest in projects with high capital costs. | Under electricity market reforms, low-carbon power such as nuclear reactors and offshore windfarms will have long-term contracts with a guaranteed price for their electricity, to give investors certainty to invest in projects with high capital costs. |
| The Unite union's national officer Kevin Coyne said the expected go-ahead for the Hinkley Point C plant would be a significant milestone towards meeting the UK's low-carbon energy needs and a massive boost for jobs. | The Unite union's national officer Kevin Coyne said the expected go-ahead for the Hinkley Point C plant would be a significant milestone towards meeting the UK's low-carbon energy needs and a massive boost for jobs. |
| "The construction of Hinkley Point C will create thousands of skilled construction jobs for the next five years, and around 800 jobs in the operation of the power station over the next 60 years. | "The construction of Hinkley Point C will create thousands of skilled construction jobs for the next five years, and around 800 jobs in the operation of the power station over the next 60 years. |
| "We hope Hinkley Point C is just the first in a fleet of new nuclear power stations which would create jobs in construction for the next 20 years. Nuclear is a crucial part of a balanced energy policy, to stop lights going out." | "We hope Hinkley Point C is just the first in a fleet of new nuclear power stations which would create jobs in construction for the next 20 years. Nuclear is a crucial part of a balanced energy policy, to stop lights going out." |
| But Greenpeace's executive director, John Sauven, said Hinkley Point C failed the test on economic, consumer, environmental and arguably even legal grounds. | But Greenpeace's executive director, John Sauven, said Hinkley Point C failed the test on economic, consumer, environmental and arguably even legal grounds. |
| He said: "It will lock a generation of consumers into higher energy bills, via a strike price that's expected to be double the current price of electricity, and it will distort energy policy by displacing newer, cleaner, cheaper technologies. | He said: "It will lock a generation of consumers into higher energy bills, via a strike price that's expected to be double the current price of electricity, and it will distort energy policy by displacing newer, cleaner, cheaper technologies. |
| "With companies now saying the price of offshore wind will drop so much it will be on par with nuclear by 2020, there is no rationale for allowing Hinkley C to proceed. | "With companies now saying the price of offshore wind will drop so much it will be on par with nuclear by 2020, there is no rationale for allowing Hinkley C to proceed. |
| "Giving it the green light when there is no credible plan for dealing with the waste could also be in breach of the law." | "Giving it the green light when there is no credible plan for dealing with the waste could also be in breach of the law." |
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