UKC

WTF.

Someone with more knowledge than me please describe what is going on.

In reply to L'Eeyore:
Lots online.

Things will not ( in my view) go ahead at Hinkley until EDF know that Flamanville can actually be built.
They will lose their shirt ( again) if they also start Hinkley, as the UK can just walk away if the EPR design fails to be viable.

Some important tests ongoing, I can't see them wanting to commit to HP unless it passes.
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Flamanville-3-test-program-approved-17...

In reply to Jim C:

Thanks Jim. Pretty much sums up my thinking.

I've decided to pay another site visit to see what the current situation with the coastpath/diversion route is.

I'll be taking the dog but will also have to carry the dog booties in case underpaw conditions have not improved.

I feel I'm getting close to roughling a few feathers.

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Or, the UK has committed to buy a reactor that the producer has yet to get fully functional anywhere else in the world and they can't currently afford to build.

And given the demise or decline of green subsidies this is the master plan to keep the lights on.

In reply to summo:

So,

We might have f****d up then.

Tomorrow I'll be taking the dog for a walk and will have my camera with me.

If the headlines on Monday are of the likes of 'Middle aged man detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act' - you heard it here first - 'I was only exercising my inalienable right to walk along the coast with my faithful hound by my side'.

In reply to L'Eeyore:

There may or may not be some progress with the construction of the sea wall and some other marine civil engineering works in advance of the main construction work in the not too distant future -- but if I were to tell you any more I'd have to kill you!

Even so, it's been in the imminent stage for about 8 years so I'm not holding my breath.

In reply to L'Eeyore:
Do you live local? I've got family in the area and walked the perimeter in October or November last year to see what they were up too, it was possible to walk all the way round (at low tide). Obviously that might have changed since.

The coast path is closed as the site has been fenced off right to the cliff edge, but you could walk along the existing sea wall footpath beneath A and B stations, then drop down onto the beach for about a mile until the cliff drops and you can scramble back up. Make sure its low or falling tide if you walk the beach bit, as the high tide level is frequently hard against the cliff, easy to get caught out I would think.

Plenty of CCTV and security patrols inside the fence but no-one seemed to bat an eyelid at me walking round.

It was very muddy when I last walked round, but interesting to see the extent of works already complete. They have obviously sunk a lot of money into the site so far (plus all the road improvement works and new bits of road elswehere), but for all the reasons raised its far from certain to go ahead.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

My understanding was that the the 'temporary' diversion would be in place for up to 3 years from the time the development started. I'm not sure what signifies/d the 'commencement of development' though.

In reply to Phil79:

Reasonably local.

My main concern was the state of the diversion path on the eastern side of the new development. When I last walked it Aug 2015 parts of the path were hard core with glass and nails included along with loose netting that at one point caught around the dogs leg. Seemed a shame when so much money is being spent on the whole project a few £k a year spent on the diversion path felt like it would be money well spent.

I didn't get out on Sunday so don't know if any improvements have been made.

In reply to L'Eeyore:
I walked around Hinkley last month, on the way from Steart - Kilve. Not nice. Diversion poorly signed in parts and if you go anywhere near the fence security stalk you, the path follows the fence... Missed low tide unfortunately. Thought the parts of the diversion path we actually managed to find were reasonable underfoot.

In reply to Cheese Monkey:

>... and if you go anywhere near the fence security stalk you, the path follows the fence...

The feeling of being watched along the fence is omnipresent isn't it!

Sounds like it is time for the signage to be replaced again.

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Not a feeling of being watched, actually being watched. We had a pick up driving along 20ft behind us the entire way. Stopped when we stopped. Wouldn't acknowledge us. Not nice.

In reply to Cheese Monkey:

I know. Did you meet the plain clothes security person on the east side of the old site, who was just going for a stroll to stretch his legs?

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Yeah, you're right about the signage, its not clear where the 'official' diversion runs. I just followed the fence round for the most part.

I guess the security guards wouldn't be doing there job properly if they didn't watch you!

In reply to Cheese Monkey:


Wow, that sounds a bit paranoid on their part! The two occasions I've walked around the security pickup has driven past two or three times but no-one actually followed me.

Perhaps next time I'll strap some bolt croppers to my bag and see what reaction that provokes!

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Didn't see this either. I feel left out now, perhaps I don't look menacing enough. Were you wearing a CND logo'ed balaclava or something??

In reply to Phil79:


No but I was carrying a large rucksack with a long umbrella attached in a case - said umbrella had been mistaken for a shotgun on one previous occasion. - those cctv cameras are not very accurate!

In reply to Lord of Starkness:



I have been involved with bids for this about 5 years now, and i'VE pretty much worn out my welcome with all my suppliers, who NOW don't believe a word of 'it's just around the corner'

On that basis, so in my retirement.

In reply to Jim C:
2 phone calls from different people in the past 2 days about 2 different parts of the project - something is about to happen.

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Even though it's an idiotic idea it is starting to look like it will probably happen as the French government are going to bail EDF 8 billion euros so they can finance it.

In reply to ad111:

The idiotic part of the idea was not starting to build the thing 20 years ago!

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

True.

The problem is having politicians who have an attention span of 5 years decide on things which take 20 years, so they don't.

UK Power generation
London 3rd Airport
Railway infrastructure
etc

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

Hopefully progress then. (I'll not ask for details as I value my life!).