BE prepares for new build

British Energy (BE) has madetransmission connection agreements with National Grid for possible newnuclear plants at Sizewell, Hinkley, Dungeness and Bradwell. All butHinkley are in the southeast of England, with that site in thesouthwest. The agreements should facilitate appropriate gridconnections for a range of reactor types to be in place from 2016onwards. BE said it had carried out grid connection studies in additionto many others on its eight sites as part of measures to "prepare itssites as candidates for replacement nuclear generation." One Januarystudy found that no special engineering measures would be required toprotect any of the sites against the effects of climate change in thelonger term, and present-day techniques would "make replacement buildfeasible at all times." However, at all the sites mentioned above, someflood defence measures were recommended for the sites to remainsuitable for a nuclear power plant for the next 100 years.