BE prepares for new build

27 November 2007

British Energy (BE) has made transmission connection agreements with National Grid for possible new nuclear plants at Sizewell, Hinkley, Dungeness and Bradwell. All but Hinkley are in the southeast of England, with that site in the southwest. The agreements should facilitate appropriate grid connections for a range of reactor types to be in place from 2016 onwards. BE said it had carried out grid connection studies in addition to many others on its eight sites as part of measures to "prepare its sites as candidates for replacement nuclear generation." One January study found that no special engineering measures would be required to protect any of the sites against the effects of climate change in the longer term, and present-day techniques would "make replacement build feasible at all times." However, at all the sites mentioned above, some flood defence measures were recommended for the sites to remain suitable for a nuclear power plant for the next 100 years.

Further information

British Energy

WNA's Nuclear Power in the United Kingdom information paper

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