EDF: Brexit won’t impact Hinkley decision

EDF Chief Executive, Vincent de Rivaz has said that the result of Thursday’s EU referendum won’t affect the final decision on the £18Bn Hinkley Point project.

In a letter to EDF employees outlining his thoughts on the benefits of the UK remaining within the European Union, Mr de Rivaz wrote: “The absolute need for HPC will remain regardless of the outcome of the vote, and politicians on both sides of the debate recognise this.”

The EDF Chief Executive threw his support behind the Remain campaign: “I will not have a vote because I am not a British citizen. However, one colleague at Barnwood recently asked me: ‘If you had a vote, what would you vote?’ My answer was: I would vote remain. Remain together.”

EDF Energy has over 13,500 employees across the UK and supplies about five million residential and businesses customers with gas or electricity.

His support for Remain was dismissed by Vote Leave who claimed that EDF being owned by the French government meant that they would adhere to their policy of wanting Britain to remain within the EU.

A spokesperson for Vote Leave said: EDF is also dependent on subsidies from the UK government, which has a pro-EU position.”

Mr de Rivaz cited the UK’s close collaboration with the French as a significant factor in China choosing to invest in the project. He wrote: “China has chosen Hinkley for their first large investment in nuclear in western countries because it is a great project, but also because it is a strategic partnership with the UK and with France.

“The European dimensions of this project have been very important to China’s decision to commit.”

He also said that the EU played a key role in working towards low-carbon economies. He said: “All countries in Europe are in transition to a low-carbon economy. This transition is not easy or smooth, and to be honest not fully joined up between countries.”

“Our power systems must cooperate across Europe, through interconnections and a new way to mix decentralised and centralised systems.”

 

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