British Energy - EDF withdraw prematurely leaving UK Energy Policy FCUKED
The wheels are coming off the Government's hastily constructed nuclear bandwagon. EDF have pulled out of talks after failing to reach an agreement on price.
Apparently EDF / Areva have different views on the viability of repairs to Heysham and Hartlepool (even to the extent of saying they will not re-open as the cost don't justify the abbreviated lifetime left) and are concerned about the unexpected shutdown at Sizewell leading to widespread blackouts at the end of May.
They also would like to renegotiate sales contracts for electricity, which would, whilst boosting future profits and sales value have an impact on residential energy costs.
Apparently they also wanted to sell coal fired Eggborough and given the looming EU directive no-one was / is anxious to buy it.
Kyoto II
We hinted at the difficulties of establishing what exactly is being measured when discussing carbon emissions Sunday, July 27, 2008 How big did you say your lawn was ? . Now the Stockholm Environment Institute at York University have demonstrated a simple and well known truth. (BBC -UK in 'delusion' over emissions )
The UK's truncated method for measuring domestic carbon was rigged - it didn't include air and sea travel, nor, in a country with a rapidly declining heavy industrial base the switch to importing carbon - ie exporting the industries.
See Identifying climate change impacts of global imports a litle noticed DeFRA Press release on July 2nd of a report from the Stockholm Environmental Institute-
The main messages from the report are:
1. Taking imports, exports and international transport into account, overall CO2 emissions associated with UK consumption of goods and services increased by nearly 115 mtCO2 between 1992 and 2004. (That is an 18% increase but you need to work that out fior yourself)
2. An increasing majority of the emissions embedded in UK imports are produced in countries outside the OECD (i.e. that region of the world that includes most of Asia).
3. The increase can be explained by trends that have emerged over the last few decades:
Some manufacturing has moved from the UK and become established in countries where manufacturing is more carbon intensive that it would be here (i.e. more CO2 is emitted per unit of production).
At the same time as the UK (like many other nations) has shifted to importing a greater proportion of products from such countries, there has also been an increase in the overall volume and diversity of products being consumed.
Final Report here (which cost £58,000 to produce)
3 comments:
Perhaps EDF figure, with Gordon's will to be done, they have a 'motivated' seller on their hands? Walk away, leave the sweating son of the manse to tug at his collar for a few weeks, then get it all for a song?
Prendre garde la grenouille!
Anne Lauvergeon who is the CEO of Areva and oft night time companion of Lord Patel whispered on her pillow some time ago that the offer for BE was final;" la dernière offre"
Hutton who can do simple arithmetic, knows that we here at Forth Coming UK Energy Deficit)FCUKED) have been correct since 2001.
BERR / DT sold off Westinghouse and major interest in BE before Gordon had his "renaissance of nuclear power" vision to raise few bobs.
The Canadians pulled out of the bids for UK nuclear power plants, now UK plc are left wondering where the power for our dim energy saving light bulbs is going to come from.
There is no way any planning permission is going to arrive this side of general election.
1. Also the staff to design / build/ run nuclear plant is now drawing it's pension.
2. The ability to obtain the huge forgings (forgere) and casting for the pressure vessels is limited and we ain't in the queue - having lost the capacity in the UK at the same time we also stopped making big, big guns for Saddam. (dcsd)
There is aussi une global shortage of capacity for castings / forgings (forgere) de fer pour réacteur de fusion nucléaire: we ain't even in the Queue
3. EDF / Areva so Anne says have bigger and better fish to fry (avoir d'autres chats à fouetter = "other cats to flog" as Anne puts it - but maybe les diplomats would dire "j'ai plus important à faire").
Anyway EDF have sensibly bought some interesting plots - Wylfa , Heysham.
What would they get for £12 Bn ? Some clapped out nuclear plants with in built problems and a dodgy life time plus the need to deal with the residue.
Anyway that is what Anne says.
Plus
Also we have very, very limited capacity to store gas.
Hutton's plan Q moles at BERR tell us is to tell the EU we will continue with Coal Plants (ie Kingston) with a "promise" to utilise sequestration if and when (?) the technology is available.
Plus we have declining coal supplies and opening new coal mines is really not an option
1. Cost
2. Where?
3. Who will actually work down a mine ?
zut!
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