Could E.ON End Horizon Wylfa B Plans?
by J Roberts
Could German energy giant E.ON follow RWE's recent example and look to exit nuclear new build in Britain? Where would such a major strategic decision leave Horizon Nuclear Power's plans to build two new power UK power plants, at Wylfa on Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire? It seems E.ON is seriosuly considering such a scenario given the recent momentous changes in the energy market in Germany, where exceptional and unplanned costs have arisen following the Merkel government decision to accelerate closure of the country's nuclear plants by 2023, post-Fukushima. If E.ON does indeed exit the Horizon Nuclear Power joint venture, along with RWE, this would be a blow to Anglesey, where Wylfa B has been seen as the cornerstone for the long term transformation of the island economy. Such a move would also have a profound effect on UK energy policy given that Wylfa was considered to be among those locations where the first nucldear power plants were to be constructed. With pressure mounting on the UK government to address the growing energy gap, arising as a result of retiring old coal plants and decommissioning nuclear power stations, both of which provide essential baseload electricity supply, the potential loss of up to 6GW of generating capacity from Wylfa would be a serious blow. Time is running out for this government to tackle this major strategic energy issue. If these two German utilities are looking to exit, can another consortium be persuaded to take over the Horizon project or are there too many hurdles to implememt such a scenario? Above all else, people on the island, an area which has been designated as the Anglesey Energy Island, will be looking for answers and strategic leadership over the coming weeks and months. Related Article: Is RWE about to leave UK nuclear new build? For more local articles and stories, subscribe to our free Anglesey News here. It's as easy as 1-2-3!
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