Former HPC project director Chris Bakken in today’s Times newspaper
Sir, Your leader suggests that I left EDF Energy because it I did not appear to have full faith in the Hinkley Point C project. Far from it. The reason for my departure was that I was born and brought up in the US and decided to move back to the US so that my wife and I could return to our family.
The economics of the project have stood up to repeated scrutiny. EDF and its Chinese partner are shouldering the construction risks and consumers will not pay a penny until the plant generates its reliable low carbon electricity. Nor is it fair to compare the strike price with today’s depressed wholesale electricity prices. Hinkley will be competitive with all other forms of future electricity generation and its power will be available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.
Abandoning this would not only deny the UK 7 per cent of potential power supply at a time when it will be most needed but also jeopardises jobs for the 25,000 people who will work on its construction.
Chris Bakken
Former project director, Hinkley Point C
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the largest producer of low-carbon electricity, producing around one-fifth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear power stations, wind farms, coal and gas power stations and combined heat and power plants. The company supplies gas and electricity to 6 million business and residential customer accounts and is the biggest supplier of electricity by volume in Great Britain.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear plants, subject to the right investment framework.
These new plants could generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Better Energy Ambitions, EDF Energy has developed one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any British energy company.
In 2014 EDF Energy received seven ‘Big Ticks’ in the Business in the Community (BITC) Responsible Business Awards. In 2013 EDF Energy received the Environmental Leadership for Behavioural Change Award in the national Environment and Energy Awards and was highly commended in the first ever pan European Corporate Social Responsibility Awards scheme for its Sustainable Schools programme – the Pod.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. The company employs around 15,000 people at locations across the UK.
Find out more about the UK's energy challenges and what we're doing to help us achieve Net Zero Britain.
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