UK to remove CGN from nuclear power projects

The government of Britain is expanding different ways to eliminate the state-owned nuclear energy company of China from all upcoming nuclear power projects in the United Kingdom, along with the consortium planning to implement the newer £20bn Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk. According to the discussions, the modification in mood at the topmost of government also impacts proposals by China’s General Nuclear to construct a new nuclear plant at Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex utilizing its own reactor technology and uplifts several questions related to the future if the nuclear energy programme of the UK. It follows the disturbing in relations between London and Beijing in current years over problems such as clampdown of China over dissent in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, its quashing of the Uyghurs and various other Muslim minorities that are present in Xinjiang and its controlling of the early COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan. Last year, the foreign secretary Dominic Raab said that the United Kingdom could not organize business as usual with Beijing. Taking a high-profile action has been the major decision of the government in order to enforce the telecoms equipment maker of China, Huawei out of the 5G network of Britain. The move to redetermine associates of the nuclear power partners arrives as the United States and its allies in the European continent and Asia are growingly observing to prevent China from generating sensitive technology.

It further secures their own supply chains or critical infrastructure from over-dependency on Chinese technology. The merging on nuclear power dates back to a 2015 deal that was endorsed by British prime minister, David Cameron and the president of China, Xi Jinping. That agreement predicted that CGN would become a 20 % partner in the implementation of the planned Sizewell C plant on the Suffolk coast, along with a key option to take part in its development process. It also sealed investment of China in the 3.2 GW Hinkley Point C nuclear power facility which is recently ongoing development in Somerset.

Under the deal, CGN also became the main developer of the planned Bradwell B plant which located in Essex which further proposes to install its own Hualong HPR1000 reactor technology. The design is undergoing the regulatory approval procedure of the UK. But the familiar source said that the China plans to develop the nuclear power plant on the region just 50 km from London. It is also said that there is no chance that CGN implements Bradwell. Given that perspective the officials have observed to Huawei that are not going to be allowing a Chinese firm to construct a new nuclear power station. Discussions were already carried out with the lead developer of Sizewell C, the French state-supported utility EDF, whether it could discover new associates for the project.