A Great Corporate Cock-up – EDF in the UK

George Monbiot in the Guardian 28 February 2013.

Take a ringside seat as a giant company beats the living daylights out of itself.

 

By George Monbiot, published on the Guardian’s website, 28th February 2013

“Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?” The current answer to Alexander Pope’s question is the power company Électricité de France (EDF). It is suing 21 climate change activists for £5m as a result of their week-long occupation of its power station at West Burton in Nottinghamshire.

In doing so it has made the biggest strategic mistake since McDonalds pursued two impoverished activists – and inflicted more damage on its brand than its critics had ever managed. The campaign against EDF’s vindictive bullying is snowballing with astonishing speed. During daylight hours yesterday, signatures on the petition against this lawsuit were coming in at the rate of 1,000 per hour.

(Contributor’s note: EDF is one of the nuclear companies currently wooing the South African government – let us be warned! Such arrogance is dangerous.)

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UK’s nuclear plans come unstuck – Centric

The Daily Climate 5 February 2013.

LONDON – The UK government’s plan to build a new generation of 10 nuclear power stations suffered another severe blow this week when the British utility Centrica pulled out of the program, writing off a £200 million investment in the process.

The chances of building any new reactors in the UK are fading fast.

To prop up the industry the government is faced with breaking two important electoral pledges and may face legal challenges that it intends to breach European Union subsidy rules in guaranteeing a minimum price for nuclear power.

With the French nuclear industry already in deep trouble over construction delays and cost overruns, the chances of building any new reactors in the UK are fading fast.

Shift to renewables

Centrica’s chief executive, Sam Laidlaw, said the company had pulled out because the project was more costly and extended further into the future than had been planned four years ago. Together with its partner, the French government-owned EDF, Centrica has spent close to £1 billion on the project and is now writing off its 20 percent share of £200 million, concentrating instead on renewables and natural gas for electricity generation…

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KES submits proposal to continue KZN solar electrification project

Engineering News 4 Oct 2012.

KwaZulu Energy Services (KES), a subsidiary of French power utility EDF, has submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy (DoE) to continue the installation of solar home systems (SHSs) in its rural electrification project in central KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), CEO Vicky Basson said on Thursday.

Speaking at the French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s French Energy Forum, in Johannesburg, she said the company had concluded its contract to install 10 000 SHSs…

Click here for full article.

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/kes-submits-proposal-to-continue-kzn-solar-electrification-project-2012-10-04

 

EDF to bid with Chinese partner for SA nuclear tender

Engineering News 16 February 2012.

French utility EDF said it plans to bid for a contract to build nuclear reactors in South Africa in a possible Franco-Chinese partnership…

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/edf-to-bid-with-chinese-partner-for-sa-nuclear-tender-2012-02-16