Scottish and Southern Energy and Iberdrola Nuclear Build

by Mike Evans
(UK)

Spanish power company Iberdrola, S.A have teamed up with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to enter the UK new nuclear build programme.

So Wylfa on Anglesey can look forward to attention from both a German joint venture (JV) between RWE Npower and E.ON as well as this latest consortium.

Following on from RWE and E.ON's recent announcement to invest in new UK nuclear build, this latest move signals the raising of the temperature in the race to secure lucrative long term energy supply contracts in Britain.

Scottish and Southern Energy said it will be trying to secure sites deemed suitable candidates for new build, and the proposed JV may look to add other partners at a later stage.

SSE sees nuclear power playing a key role in reducing CO2 emissions and for achieving security of electricity supply.

Pedro Azagra, Commercial Director for Iberdrola , said: "Iberdrola is committed to the UK market, and welcomes government plans to develop new nuclear power plants for low-carbon energy supply. The company has stakes in seven nuclear power stations in Spain.

SSE takes the view that a new tranche of nuclear power plants will be needed for the UK to meet its overall energy targets in around 10 years time, according to the company's energy supply director Alistair Phillips-Davies.

The new stations are also needed to meet the energy needs of SSE's customers over the longer term.

It also looks as if the proposed JV will not restrict itself to any particular supplier for the nuclear build programme, but will choose the best options for each part of the new build project.

So it seems we may have at least two consortia vying for the contract to build and operate a new nuclear plant at Wylfa.

We are getting closer to the stage when a decision will have to be made as to who will take on what will be a very challenging but exciting programme lasting around 10 years to when the new plant can start generating electricity.


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