By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 12:44, Friday, 05 October 2012

The chairman’s of Britain’s Energy Coast has received assurances “at the highest level” that plans for nuclear new build at Sellafield remain on track.

The Rt Hon Brian Wilson, a former Labour energy minister, spoke out after The Sunday Times claimed that one half of the NuGen consortium was pulling out.

The newspaper reported that Spanish company Iberdrola had told its partner GDF Suez it was withdrawing, leaving the £5bn Moorside project in serious doubt.

NuGen issued a denial on Monday and now Mr Wilson has weighed in.

He said: “We are assured at the highest levels that the story is not true and that Iberdrola are still very much part of the NuGen consortium.

“In the current economic climate, it is perhaps inevitable that this kind of speculation should occur.

“However, I am acutely aware that until work is under way, it is open to any participant in nuclear new-build to have second thoughts.

“This might act as a wake-up call for all branches of government that have an input into the nuclear new-build programme. A greater sense of urgency is required.

“Companies that are committed to very large investments are entitled to some reasonable assurances and certainties about the market they will enter when these power stations are eventually built.”

Any collapse of nuclear new-build proposals would be a devastating blow for west Cumbria because hopes for thousands of new jobs ride on the scheme going ahead.

However, Mr Wilson’s comments about uncertainties deterring the private investors are underlined by the withdrawal of an expected bidder elsewhere.

A Franco-Chinese consortium had been one of the front runners to take on the Horizon project to build reactors at Wylfa in Anglesey and Oldbury, Gloucestershire.

But French engineering group Areva and its partner, the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC) did not table a bid by the deadline last Friday.

An Areva spokeswoman said: “Areva and CGNPC have suspended their interest in the planned sale of Horizon Nuclear Power and did not submit a bid.”

First published at 11:29, Friday, 05 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk