The European Commission has approved the Hinkley Point C State Aid case, it was announced this week. The announcement will lead the way for a new nuclear power station being built in the UK – the first for a generation.
The Government says that nuclear power stations such as the one planned at Hinkley will be essential for providing energy security to Britain as the majority of the countries existing stations are due to be decommissioned by 2023.
Building the new power stations is also an essential part of The government plans to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions; the building of the new plant at Hinkley is part of the government’s strategy to create cleaner, greener sources of energy for the future.
Once Hinkley is in use, it will have the power to provide electricity for six million homes, and the Government states that 25,000 construction jobs are to be created as a result.
Energy company EDF will be responsible for the running of the new nuclear power plant, and there are plans to share the benefits with energy customers should the building of the plant come in under budget.
The Government stated that it is continuing to work with EDF to complete the final details of the contract.
Commenting in a press release, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said:
“This is an important next step on the road to Britain’s first new nuclear power station in a generation. While there is much work still to do before a final contract can be signed, today’s announcement is a boost to our efforts to ensure Britain has secure, affordable low carbon electricity in the 2020s.
“After a thorough, detailed and independent analysis of our proposed project with EDF, this decision shows the European Commission agrees that this is a good deal for consumers and enables us now to proceed to the next stage.”
In the coming years, more nuclear plants are planned to replace the current ones, which cause too much pollution. The government says that the new stations will offer the United Kingdom a greater energy resilience and provide cleaner fuel.
It is estimated that building the new stations will save the consumer £90 a year on their energy bills by 2030, and the plant operator will be responsible for all of the costs of decommissioning as well as having to cover some of the costs of waste management.