British Energy
British Gas owners Centrica are spending £2.3billion on a deal to buy into the UK’s next generation of nuclear power. They will take a 20 per cent interest in British Energy, the power firm bought by France’s EDF in January. British Energy, based in East Kilbride, run the UK’s eight main nuclear power stations.
Daily Record 12th May 2009 more >>
Birmingham Post 12th May 2009 more >>
Manchester Evening News 11th May 2009 more >>
FT 12th May 2009 more >>
World Nuclear News 11th May 2009 more >>
EDF’s chairman says other partners could join its nuclear energy plans.
Interactive Investor 11th May 2009 more >>
Reuters 11th May 2009 more >>
Centrica is paying a whole lot less for its stake in British Energy than originally agreed, but then it is also getting a whole lot less. The difference per share is just 6 per cent, which is admittedly not to be sneezed at, but is considerably less than the fall in wholesale electricity prices which has occurred in the meantime. Centrica has also managed to sell EDF its stake in SPE of Belgium for a premium to what it paid just four months ago. But again the differences are not off the scale, while EDF can extract synergies that were not available to Centrica.
Independent 12th May 2009 more >>
Centrica looks set to continue its acquisition spree after striking a deal to buy a 20pc stake in nuclear power company British Energy at a substantially lower price than initially agreed.
Telegraph 12th May 2009 more >>
New Nukes
EDF Energy has invited UK companies to find out how they can particpate in nuclear new-build contracts likely to total billions of pounds. The company, which acquired UK nuclear company British Energy last year and has announced plans to build four new nuclear power stations in the UK, has invited companies to join a nuclear suppliers forum to be held in London on 30 June. EDF said the new nuclear programme would result in the tendering of 150 contracts worth “many billions of pounds” and the event would set out the opportunities. It will also provide information about the EDF Energy procurement process, and give potential suppliers more details about our new business structures, and the work packages which will be available for bids.
Utility Week 11th May 2009 more >>
Finland / New Nukes
Olkiluoto 3’s reputation has been dealt another blow with the leaking of a stern letter to Areva from the Finnish safety regulator. Regulator STUK was very critical of Areva’s performance and said safety paperwork was due “a long time ago”. The embarrassing row came to light after the letter was leaked to the Finnish media and Greenpeace. The row follows a run of delays in construction and the news that Finnish utility TVO is seeking compensation from the Areva/Siemens consortium, which is building the new unit.
Nuclear Engineering International 11th May 2009 more >>
Millom
A VILLAGE action group is meeting with the public tonight to shed some light on plans to build a nuclear power plant near Millom. Whicham Action Group was set up to block plans to build a plant at Layriggs in Kirksanton. Group spokesman Tim Kendall says the detailed documents explaining the specifications of the plant are too complicated to understand. It is now hosting a drop-in session to give affected residents the chance to ask questions to try and clarify the technical information.
NW Evening Mail 11th May 2009 more >>
Japan
An emergency cooling system at the recently restarted Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station’s No. 7 reactor malfunctioned twice Monday, but there were no reports of radioactive leakage, officials said. The reactor had just begun test runs on Saturday, the first time since the power station suspended operations following the 2007 Niigata-Chuetsu-oki Earthquake. Officials said cooling water rose to an unusually high level in the pressure containment chamber when they test-started the cooling system early Monday morning. While they brought the water down to normal levels about eight minutes later, workers discovered the switch used to halt the system was not functioning.
Asahi Shimbum 12th May 2009 more >>
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and France are in plans to sign a civil nuclear cooperation agreement which could lead to the sale of French atomic energy technology to the Gulf kingdom. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has signed civilian nuclear agreements with Algeria and Libya, in 2008, has offered help to Saudi Arabia to develop civilian nuclear energy.
Energy Business Review 11th May 2009 more >>
India
Indian PM Manmohan Singh was ready to let the Left take credit for a final version of the controversial US nuclear deal, his ex-media adviser says. Sajaya Baru told the BBC the prime minister agreed “in the interests of the nation” to allow the Left to say they had forced a better deal. But hardline left-wingers scuppered the compromise, Mr Baru said, and the Left withdrew from the ruling coalition.
BBC 11th May 2009 more >>
Climate
Every home in Britain will have a new “smart meter” installed by 2020 under plans unveiled by the Government, which hopes to reduce the country’s carbon emissions by more than a third. In potentially the biggest shake-up of Britain’s energy industry since the introduction of North Sea gas in the 1970s, it is hoped that the new meters, which will be installed in all 26 million UK households, will boost energy efficiency by allowing consumers to track exactly how much gas and electricity they are using.
Times 12th May 2009 more >>
