EDF Energy launches Bradwell nuclear land sale

EDF Energy plans to sell land at its Bradwell nuclear site in southeast England to companies planning to build new reactors in Britain, the world's biggest nuclear power generator said on Friday

French nuclear power giant EDF got some of the land at Bradwell in Essex as part of its takeover of nuclear operator British Energy in January and bought more land there at auction in April.

Bradwell was named in the government's recently published draft Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS) as a suitable place for utilities to build reactors over the next two decades.

But EDF wants to focus on building four new European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) at the Sizewell power station in Suffolk and Hinkley Point in south-west England.

"We believe the site at Bradwell... has good potential for new build and will be attractive to potential developers of nuclear power plants" Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, director of Nuclear New Build at EDF Energy said.

"This sale process goes hand in hand with our plans and the industry's wider objectives in seeking to help address the country's long-term energy issues."

EDF is inviting "credible nuclear operators" to submit expressions of interest in the site but any sale agreement will be conditional on the final results of the NPS and on EDF Energy getting planning permission for two EPR at the nearby Sizewell.

The sale does not include the adjoining Nuclear Decommissioning Authority site of the original power station at Bradwell which being decommissioned.