British Energy stalemate puts new nuclear reactors at risk

Tim Webb
The Observer,
Sunday August 17 2008

The on-off £12bn takeover saga of British Energy risks delaying plans to build new nuclear reactors on government-owned sites, it has emerged.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), the government-backed body, is waiting to launch a formal auction of land surrounding its sites.
It had planned to invite energy groups to table bids at the beginning of the month when nuclear generator British Energy looked certain to accept a takeover by French group EDF. But the £12bn deal fell through at the eleventh hour. Low-level talks between the companies are continuing but it is not clear when, or if, the takeover can be resurrected, plunging the government's plans for nuclear new build into chaos.
The NDA must hold off until the ownership of the nuclear generator is resolved, because this would affect who would bid for its own sites.
British Energy's land is the most suitable for a new fleet of reactors, partly because it has better grid connections, but the NDA locations - which include Sellafield in Cumbria - are also likely to play a part.
The NDA invited general expressions of interest for its sites last April. As well as EDF, German groups Eon and RWE are among those interested.