New Nukes
Industry Secretary John Hutton is set to take on opponents of new nuclear and coal-fired power stations, accusing them of putting Britain’s sovereignty and security at risk. Pushing ahead with a new generation of the controversial energy sources is essential if Britain is not only to survive the present economic crisis but emerge “stronger and fitter”, he will declare. Warning that the UK risks being 80% reliant on imported gas within 12 years otherwise, he will reject the objections of environmentalists and opposition parties in his speech to the Labour Party conference.
Loughborough Echo 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
This is Hampshire 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
A former minister has urged the government to stop “dilly dallying” over the building of new nuclear power stations. Speaking at an ePolitix.com fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Manchester on Sunday, organised in association with the Nuclear Dialogue group, Sherwood MP Paddy Tipping called for ministers to press ahead with the building of a new generation of stations.
ePolitix 21st Sept 2008 more >>
British Energy
As Edf prepares to up its bid for British Energy the future of the UK’s energy supply is at stake. If all goes to plan today, another piece of the Government’s jigsaw for Britain’s nuclear future should fall into place. At a meeting in Paris, EdF is expected to approve formally an increase in its £12bn bid for British Energy. And given the debacle over the French company’s previous offer, which collapsed in July at the eleventh hour after unexpected shareholder opposition, it’s a fair bet that EdF will have smoothed over likely opposition. If a takeover of Britain’s biggest nuclear power producer goes ahead there will be a collective sigh of relief at the Department of Business and Enterprise. For the Government, there does not seem to be a Plan B, despite Centrica’s wish to merge with its UK peer and forge a group which it said could lead a nuclear renaissance. Analysts and some shareholders cannot understand why the Government, which owns 35pc of BE, is so committed to an EdF deal, especially given Centrica’s interest.
Telegraph 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Lawyers for British Energy and EDF of France were completing the final paperwork on a £12.4bn merger last night amid hopes that the formal deal can be fully signed off and announced to the London stockmarket as early as tomorrow. The move will hasten the government’s nuclear revolution as EDF wants to use some of British Energy’s sites to build a new generation of atomic power stations. The French company is expected to hand back some BE land so that the government can auction it off to others wanting to construct plants.
Guardian 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Centrica, the owner of British Gas, is likely to have to wait for several months to secure its position in the £12.4bn takeover of British Energy that lectricit de France is set to announce in the next few days. Britain’s biggest retail energy supplier has been in talks with EDF for months about taking a 25 per cent stake in British Energy, which is the country’s biggest generator and owns most of its nuclear power stations.
FT 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Fuel Poverty
Millions of British families facing fuel poverty this winter will not qualify for free insulation under a £1 billion energy efficiency scheme announced by the Government last week. Rising fuel prices mean that 5.4 million households are having to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on energy putting them in so-called fuel poverty. The Government said last week that up to 11 million low-income households would qualify for free insulation under the scheme, but industry insiders have told The Times that this figure is highly misleading. For example, any home with more than 60mm of loft insulation will not qualify for the scheme. The recommended standard is 270mm. Nor will most homes built before the 1930s, which are unsuitable for cavity-wall insulation. Recently built homes that have loft and cavity wall insulation are also unlikely to qualify.
Times 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
