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英、中国出資の原発計画承認 株式売買は制限
2016/9/15 20:07
【ロンドン＝小滝麻理子】英政府は15日、中国国有の原子力発電大手、中国広核集団が出資する原子力発電所の新設計画を承認したと発表した。メイ首相が７月の就任直後に着工許可を先送りした。中国の存在感が高まり過ぎ安全保障上問題があるとの懸念にも配慮し事業会社の株式売買を制限するなど条件を付け一定の歯止めをかけた。
建設計画が承認されたヒンクリーポイントＣ原子力発電所（14日、英南西部）＝ロイター
英政府が承認したのは英南西部ヒンクリーポイントでの原発計画で、2025年の稼働を目指す。仏原子力大手アレバの最新鋭の欧州加圧水型炉（ＥＰＲ）２基を建設し、英国の電力需要の７％を賄う。総事業費180億ポンド（約２兆４千億円）の３分の２をフランス電力公社（ＥＤＦ）、残りを中国広核集団など中国勢が出資する。英国内の原発建設は約20年ぶり。
ヒンクリー原発は昨秋、中国の習近平国家主席が訪英した際に、キャメロン前首相と中国企業が参画することで合意。緊密な英中関係を象徴する目玉事業だった。だが新首相に就いたメイ氏は７月下旬に突如、着工許可の先送りを表明。中国側は強く反発していた。
英政府は15日朝「事業計画の入念な見直しの結果、着工を進めることを決定した」との声明を発表した。一方で原発など基幹インフラに対して英政府が介入できる新たな仕組みを発表した。
ヒンクリー原発については、英政府の承認なしにＥＤＦが原発完成前に持ち分を売却することを禁じた。さらにこれ以降に英国で建設する全ての原発計画に対しては、英政府の承認なしに事業会社の大規模な株式の売買ができないようにした。
メイ氏がもっとも懸念するのが、前政権下でヒンクリー原発とセットで承認された南東部のブラッドウェル原発計画とされる。先進国では初めて中国製原子炉を採用する計画で、中国はこれを足がかりに原発輸出の拡大をもくろむ。
メイ氏は内相時代から安保上のリスクを警戒。主要株主の入れ替えに関して英政府が介入できる仕組みを導入することで、国内の原発に中国の資本や技術が集中しないように歯止めをかけた。
条件付きながら、英政府が中国の原発参入を承認した背景には、英中関係を軽視できないという事情もある。
欧州連合（ＥＵ）からの離脱を控えて英経済の先行きには不透明感が強く、世界２位の経済大国である中国との連携は欠かせない。メイ氏は９月上旬、中国で開いた20カ国・地域（Ｇ20）首脳会議で習氏と会談した際も「英中の黄金時代を続けたい」とアピールした。
英国内にある既存の原発は老朽化が進み、一斉に更新需要が訪れている。財政難のなかで外資による建設を促す必要もある。すでに日立製作所や東芝など日本勢も原発建設を受注している。
中国広核集団は15日、「英国政府がプロジェクトを批准したことをうれしく思う。ＥＤＦとともに、英国に環境に優しいエネルギーを持続的に提供したい」とのコメントを発表し
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASGM15H5U_V10C16A9FF2000/
Hinkley Point: What is it and why is it important?
By John Moylan
Industry correspondent, BBC News
15 September 2016
From the section Business
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Artist's impression of Hinkley Point C plantImage copyrightPA
Image caption
The new plant is planned to be built next to two existing facilities
The UK government has given the go-ahead for the French and Chinese financed nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset.
Approval for the project comes with some new conditions attached, including a provision that the UK government has to be consulted if EDF, the French company behind the project, wants to sell its controlling stake.
The proposed new plant, known as Hinkley Point C, will be built next to two existing facilities, Hinkley Point A and B, and is set to begin generating electricity in 2025. But critics are still warning against escalating costs and the implications of nuclear power plants being built in the UK by foreign governments.
What are the arguments for Hinkley Point C?
Companies and governments want Hinkley Point C to be built.
For the UK, it will deliver 7% of our electricity when most other nuclear power stations will have closed down.
The low-carbon electricity will help towards our climate goals. The huge project will provide an economic stimulus. And the funding arrangements mean the cost will not end up on the government's books.
Hinkley Point power plantImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Hinkley Point in Somerset already houses two power stations
The French want it built because it furthers their international nuclear ambitions. Despite setbacks in projects in Finland and Flamanville in northern France, Hinkley provides a showcase to export their reactor technology around the world.
The Chinese, via the CGN group, have committed to one-third of the £18bn cost, in order to get a foothold in Western Europe. The Hinkley deal also involves the Chinese taking a stake in a new project at Sizewell and the possibility of building their own reactors at Bradwell in Essex.
How big is the project and what will it cost?
Hinkley Point C will be the biggest construction site in Europe, according to EDF.
The construction will provide 25,000 jobs. At its peak, 5,600 people will work on site. The finished power plant will employ 900 people.
Hinkley Point construction
5,600
workers on site at peak
4,000km electrical cabling
230,000 tonnes of steel
5.6m cubic metres of earth to be moved
Source: EDF
The upfront cost for EDF and its partner over the coming years will be £18bn.
But in return, EDF will receive a guaranteed price for Hinkley's electricity for 35 years. A complex subsidy arrangement will see consumers pay billions.
EDF's expected return on its investment is set to be between 9% and 10%.
What will it mean for consumers?
EDF's contract with the government guarantees the firm a "strike price" of £92.50 per megawatt hour (Mwh) for the electricity that Hinkley Point C generates. If the wholesale price of power is lower than this set price, consumers make up the difference.
But the government now expects future wholesale electricity prices to be lower than it forecast when it agreed the strike price in 2013.
The National Audit Office says that as a result, the expected top-up payment by consumers has increased from £6.1bn to £29.7bn.
Why is the UK keen on new nuclear?
Ever since Tony Blair committed the UK to new nuclear in 2006, successive governments have argued that nuclear power is necessary as part of our generation mix.
Artist's impression of Hinkley Point C building proposalsImage copyrightPA
Image caption
Artist's impression of Hinkley Point C building proposals
Having new nuclear - it is argued - makes the UK less reliant on imported energy.
Nuclear also delivers base load electricity - that is, the amount of power that is needed to satisfy minimum demand - because it is always available. That's important as more intermittent renewables - such as wind and solar power - come on to the grid.
Who is involved in the project?
French energy giant EDF is leading the project. It's 85%-owned by the French state.
French nuclear firm Areva, which is also majority state-owned, is supplying the EPR reactor technology that will be used at Hinkley Point C.
But EDF is now in effect buying the reactor from itself. Following years of losses, Areva's reactor unit is being merged with EDF as part of a rescue plan orchestrated by the French government.
Aerial view of Hinkley Point site, with views of Hinkley A and Hinkley BImage copyrightEDF
China's CGN has a 33.5% stake in Hinkley Point C and will have to fund a third of the £18bn cost.
But 60% of the construction value will flow to UK firms.
Why has it taken so long?
EDF's UK boss originally said that he expected Britons to cook their Christmas turkeys with power from Hinkley Point C by 2017. But the project has been hit by a series of setbacks and delays.
Concerns have grown over Areva's EPR reactor, the type to be used at Hinkley. It's technically complex and has proved difficult to construct: EDF's Flamanville project in Northern France is three times over budget and years behind schedule.
As the cost of Hinkley escalated, EDF had to find a partner to share the financial burden.
Falling power prices then hit EDF's revenues. Its finances were further shaken by mounting liabilities, due to the roll-out of smart meters and the upgrading of France's nuclear power capability.
Opposition from French trade unions, which wanted Hinkley Point C delayed, also forced the company to conduct a lengthy consultation with its works council to avoid a legal challenge.
EDF shareholders eventually agreed a French government-backed refinancing plan, paving the way for their decision to go ahead with the project.
Then, in July, when the UK government was expected to sign the deal, the Business Secretary, Greg Clark, announced there would be a review.
If construction begins now, Hinkley could begin generating electricity for the UK market by 2025.
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