BE prepares for new build

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.
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