Doosan Babcock signs deal to support EDF’s UK nuclear plants
ENERGY services company Doosan Babcock yesterday said it has secured a deal with EDF to support the operations of seven of its nuclear power stations in the UK, securing around 1,000 jobs.
The agreement will come to an end when the last of the seven power stations ceases power generation, with Doosan Babcock calling it “a lifetime agreement”. The Crawley-headquartered engineering firm, which has a long-term relationship with EDF, expects to earn around £70m a year from the deal.
A spokesperson at EDF told City A.M. that the French power giant hopes to have all of its nuclear stations operating in the UK by 2023, when Hinkley Point in Somerset is up and running. “This deal is about bridging the energy gap until then,” they said.
EDF runs eight power stations in the UK, with Doosan Babcock supporting all except Sizewell B, as it uses different technology. EDF expects to confirm a 10-year extension to the life of its Dungeness B plant by the end of the year, which would bring it up to 2028.