5 March 2016
In February, there was anticipation that EDF might finally make their postponed decision on whether to continue with their proposed investment in the Hinkley C nuclear plant in north Somerset. The board of the French state-owned company have been split on the issue, with many arguing that the project, increasingly seen as a 'white elephant', could bankrupt EDF, who are already struggling financially. Believing that this could be a real opportunity to finish off the nuclear threat in Somerset, protesters turned out on the day of the board meeting to raise awareness of the issue, by holding a celebratory French-style picnic and occupying EDF's offices's in Cannington near Bridgwater.
Theo Simon, the Green Party's candidate for Somerton and Frome, and prominent campaigner against the Hinkley project, wrote: "The end of Hinkley C will open the way for a massive (and cheaper) renewables roll-out in the southwest and beyond, hundreds of thousands of real climate jobs, the freeing up of grid capacity currently reserved for new nuclear – and a few less nuclear hazards on the horizon of our rapidly changing world." Unfortunately, EDF failed to resolve the issue yet again - the Hinkley decision was not on the board meeting agenda. The farce of the Hinkley white elephant continued with the subsequent resignation of EDF's finance director, and EDF's demand that the French government contribute more cash to the scheme. Somerset's nuclear uncertainty remains - for now.
Sign up for updates
Find out more
