Nuclear power partnership depends on clarification sought by Centrica

Centrica, which owns British Gas, is seeking clarification on financing and cost issues from the government over building four new nuclear power stations in the UK.

The £20 billion scheme to boost nuclear capacity is to be fulfilled in partnership by EDF, but depends on reassurances on electricity market reforms in order to go through.

Centrica and EDF are currently in talks and the release of full year finance figures expected this week should help to make the picture clearer.

Hinkley Point C in Somerset is to be the first of the nuclear plants to be built and British firms have already been awarded contracts worth £250 million for the project.

The government has stated that it intends to rely on nuclear power as well as renewable technologies such as wind and tidal energy in order to provide energy security for the UK in future.

These are intended to replace the capacity produced by oil and gas fuelled power stations as the government strives to become greener.