Energy supply for the future

In 2005 we completed an extensive review of our future energy generating requirements. Taking in to account the risk of limited liquidity in the wholesale market and our own sustainability aspirations we committed to build a new Combined Cycle Gas Turbine generation (CCGT) power station to come into service by 2011. We may also invest in a second CCGT of similar size to come into service later.

Our West Burton II project received government consent on 30 October 2007. The new CCGT plant will comprise three 437 MW multi-shaft units, with a combined capacity of 1,311 MW. The plant will be designed to EDF Energy specifications, EDF CIT is the construction engineering and procurement manager.

We plan to increase our renewable power generation capacity to 1000 MW by 2012. Projects are already in development to meet this target.

The UK Government has concluded that nuclear should have a role to play in the generation of electricity and that the electricity industry should, from now on be allowed to build and operate new nuclear power stations, subject to normal planning and regulatory requirements.

A ‘Nuclear Project’ team was established in London in 2006 to make possible investment in new nuclear capacity in the UK, drawing on the unrivalled expertise of EDF Group. Any such investment will help maintain security of supply, help keep the economy growing and help address global warming. The team has grown to 11 full time staff in the UK, and will continue to grow as the project develops.

EDF Group has been actively engaged in the consultation, and is looking into considering the possibility of building and operating up to four new nuclear power stations, either on its own or in partnership, subject to the implementation of an appropriate policy and regulatory environment described in the Government’s white paper.

EDF Group has said that it wishes to deploy the EPR technology.  This is the same technology already employed at the new nuclear power station being constructed by EDF at Flamanville, in France. This strategy will enable the efficiencies that come with standardisation of design in the construction and operation of a series of plants. In the second half of 2007 EDF Energy, with Areva, initiated the licensing process. This process is scheduled to last for three and a half years.

It is anticipated that the first new nuclear plant could be operational by the end of 2017. A final investment decision by EDF is expected.