French electricity major EDF has stated that it will step up its plans to build a series of four new nuclear plants in the UK, after the British government announced its decision to support the development of a new generation of nuclear power stations.
EDF said that it will be using European pressurized reactors (EPR) technology for the proposed plants. The first plant is expected to be complete by the end of 2017.
In the UK, EDF and French nuclear group Areva have jointly applied to the nuclear energy regulators, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency for generic design assessment of the EPR nuclear design.
The design is based on the one chosen by EDF for its new reactor currently under construction in Flamanville in northern France. The UK EPR project is supported by Amec, the UK-based nuclear sector focused project management and engineering services firm.