A FRENCH union - which has two seats on the board of EDF - has called for a decision over the development of Hinkley Point C to be delayed until 2019, saying the scheme is "too risky".

The CFE-CGC Energy Union, which occupies two of six union seats on the board, said investment in the Somerset plant should be held until problems with a similar reactor design in France are solved.

THe board has yet to vote on the final investment decision.

At a recent meeting announcing EDF accounts, CEO of the energy firm, Jean-Bernard Levy, said a decision was expected "soon", hinting it would come before the end of the year.

But now, Francis Raillott, of CFE-CGC, has said problems at other sites need to be addressed before any decision is taken over Hinkley Point C.

A project in Flamanville, France, is years behind schedule and millions of Euros over budget, he said.

"Right now, Hinkley is too risky for the company," he said. "We think it is better to wait and see. Wait for three years so we can see that everything works... or not."

An EDF spokesman said: "Final steps are well in hand to enable the full construction phase [at Hinkley] to be launched very soon."

More to follow...


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Somerset County Gazette: An artist's impression of the Hinkley C site