Macron and EDF - are they telling the truth?
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:51 am
I was reading the daily liars today and came across an article on the daily excess saying Macron had upset the EU by promising EDF billions in state aid to build six new EPRS for France something which flies in the face of EU policy and something I believe France cried foul over the UK plans some years back?.
Now that wasn't what caught my attention, this did:
"In his speech, Mr Macron predicted that the construction work for the reactors would begin around 2028 with the first one being expected to be completed in 2035.
The French president has also asked for studies on potentially expanding the program to eight reactors.
EDF, the state-owned energy company, has estimated building the six pressurized water reactors, known as EPRs, will cost around 50 billion euros (£42 billion)".
Now I could be wrong but I am fairly sure Hinkley C hasn't got a total cost 7 billion pounds I seem to recall its closer to three times this figure and even on EDF's official pages they say:
"The cost of the project is £18bn in nominal terms. We have stated this in public many times and this has not changed.
This £18bn includes and has always included a provision for risks and contingencies. If we deliver the project for less, the gain will be shared with customers as part of the CFD gain share mechanism. Customers would not bear the cost of any overruns.
The total equity the two shareholders are committed to provide if necessary includes 15% of additional capacity amounting to £2.7bn.
This does not mean that we anticipate any additional costs beyond £18 bn. It simply reflects normal, prudent good practice for any construction project to know that the money would be available in the case of more extreme scenarios.
We don’t expect to use the additional 15% because we expect that Hinkley Point C will be on time and on budget at £18bn."
So who in France is lying to who? and if they can build them for that price there why the hell are we paying 3 times the price for one ??
Given their track record for delivering EPRS around the world I am sceptical to say the least, i wonder if the UK government is asking the same questions ?
The Chinese seem to be able to build them on time and to budget but again time and potential disastrous outcomes with tell us if this is excellence in engineering and construction or Chernobyl style hubris - for everyone's sake I hope its the former rather than the latter.
Moxi
Now that wasn't what caught my attention, this did:
"In his speech, Mr Macron predicted that the construction work for the reactors would begin around 2028 with the first one being expected to be completed in 2035.
The French president has also asked for studies on potentially expanding the program to eight reactors.
EDF, the state-owned energy company, has estimated building the six pressurized water reactors, known as EPRs, will cost around 50 billion euros (£42 billion)".
Now I could be wrong but I am fairly sure Hinkley C hasn't got a total cost 7 billion pounds I seem to recall its closer to three times this figure and even on EDF's official pages they say:
"The cost of the project is £18bn in nominal terms. We have stated this in public many times and this has not changed.
This £18bn includes and has always included a provision for risks and contingencies. If we deliver the project for less, the gain will be shared with customers as part of the CFD gain share mechanism. Customers would not bear the cost of any overruns.
The total equity the two shareholders are committed to provide if necessary includes 15% of additional capacity amounting to £2.7bn.
This does not mean that we anticipate any additional costs beyond £18 bn. It simply reflects normal, prudent good practice for any construction project to know that the money would be available in the case of more extreme scenarios.
We don’t expect to use the additional 15% because we expect that Hinkley Point C will be on time and on budget at £18bn."
So who in France is lying to who? and if they can build them for that price there why the hell are we paying 3 times the price for one ??
Given their track record for delivering EPRS around the world I am sceptical to say the least, i wonder if the UK government is asking the same questions ?
The Chinese seem to be able to build them on time and to budget but again time and potential disastrous outcomes with tell us if this is excellence in engineering and construction or Chernobyl style hubris - for everyone's sake I hope its the former rather than the latter.
Moxi
but I am fairly sure that no one in power or with an interest is quoting whole life costs for nuclear power, if they did then I think most people would be horrified.