Problems continue to pile up for the Hinkley Point C project, and there is now a growing chorus of critics calling for project to be scrapped altogether, (1) and deep concern in parts of the UK Government, especially the Treasury. (2)
The Daily Telegraph reported on 9th July that French reactor builder, Areva, has been aware since 2006 about the problems, revealed in April, in the steel reactor pressure vessel (RPV) at its Flamanville reactor being built in Normandy. Despite this being a critical safety issue, Areva did not see fit to alert anyone to the problem over the last nine years and has continued with the construction as if nothing were amiss. (3)
Anomalies had been found in the bottom and lid of the RPV of the Flamaville reactor – the same reactor type as the two proposed reactors at Hinkley. This means there are weaknesses in the vital metal structure protecting the outside world from the highly radioactive reactor core. (4) Pierre-Franck Chevet, head of France’s nuclear safety inspectorate (ASN) said the same manufacturing technique was used in the steel for the identical safety casings destined for Hinkley Point, which “have already been manufactured”. (5)
The RPV is the major critical component of the reactor and failure should be incredible. To achieve this, quality control over all aspects of design and construction must be to the highest standards, likewise quality assurance over the whole process from inception to completion, staff, materials, documentation, audit trails etc., must be absolutely perfect. If they can’t get it right for the pressure vessel then it must call in to question Quality Assurance and Quality Control for everything else.
Furthermore if the problem has really been known about for nine years, then as well as the deceit issue, the question is why didn’t the French Regulators pick this up before and why hasn’t it been reported to the French & British government departments? The adequacy of the whole regulatory system needs to be questioned.
The 110-ton spherical steel lid which was destined to sit on top of the Hinkley Point RPV is now going to be sacrificed to test the strength of parts already welded in place at Flamanville and similar projects in China. (6) If further tests prove they aren’t strong enough, the equipment can’t be used, said Pierre-Franck Chevet. (7)
In June another problem was revealed by a leaked report from France’s nuclear safety watchdog which highlighted faults in Flamanville’s cooling system. According to the Daily Telegraph “multiple” malfunctioning valves found in the Flamanville EPR would expose the reactor to the risk of a meltdown. (8)
Meanwhile, Austria has filed its legal challenge to the UK’s €108 billion support package for Hinkley Point C. A second such challenge at the European Court is due from green energy suppliers in Germany and Austria who fear unfair competition from subsidised nuclear power in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary if the Hinkley C precedent stands. (9)
Based on previous similar cases, the legal objection made by Austria against the European Commission’s decision on Hinkley could delay the progress of the facility for around three to four years according to a legal expert who has been advising the Austrian government on the matter. (10) The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is reported to be discussing with EDF how to handle liability for costs incurred on the project should Austria’s challenge be successful and the deal has to be cancelled. (11)
Stop Hinkley spokesperson, Roy Pumfrey says:
“It is difficult to believe the Government would still want to go-ahead with Hinkley C after such indications of incompetence and secrecy on the part of Areva. Yet DECC is busy removing subsidies from our successful renewables industry to save pennies whilst planning to finance what will probably be the most expensive man-made object ever built in the world. It’s time to call a halt now before anything else goes wrong. Let’s get on with implementing an energy strategy which doesn’t generate dangerous waste and put us all at risk.”
(1) Sunday Times 21st June 2015
(2) FT 14th June 2015
(3) Telegraph 9th July 2015
See also BBC 9th July 2015
(4) Reuters 17th April 2015 and Ecologist 14th April 2015
(5) Independent 18th April 2015
(6) Energy Voice 19th June 2015
(7) Penn Energy 19th June 2015
(8) Telegraph 9th June 2015
(9) Ecologist 6th July 2015
(10) Power Engineering International 9th July 2015
(11) Telegraph 30th June 2015
