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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/29/hinkley-point-bad-business-theresa-may-david-cameron

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Hinkley Point is bad business. Theresa May should put it out of its misery Hinkley Point is bad business. Theresa May should put it out of its misery
(25 days later)
The message of last night’s Hinkley Point fiasco could not be clearer. The project cannot go ahead. But who in government has the guts to say so?The message of last night’s Hinkley Point fiasco could not be clearer. The project cannot go ahead. But who in government has the guts to say so?
No one without an interest in this £18bn project believes it should proceed. The sole interest of the French and Chinese builders is that David Cameron, in the worst deal in the history of procurement, effectively stuffed their pockets with gold. The gold was to come from future British taxpayers and energy consumers, over an astonishing 30 years. Even then, directors and employees at the French firm, EDF, ran for the hills. Yesterday its board voted to go ahead only on a narrow majority, before jumping into their limousines for a signing ceremony in Somerset. When they arrived, the British energy secretary, Greg Clark, humiliated them by cancelling.No one without an interest in this £18bn project believes it should proceed. The sole interest of the French and Chinese builders is that David Cameron, in the worst deal in the history of procurement, effectively stuffed their pockets with gold. The gold was to come from future British taxpayers and energy consumers, over an astonishing 30 years. Even then, directors and employees at the French firm, EDF, ran for the hills. Yesterday its board voted to go ahead only on a narrow majority, before jumping into their limousines for a signing ceremony in Somerset. When they arrived, the British energy secretary, Greg Clark, humiliated them by cancelling.
Hinkley Point C is the product of prestige, political vanity, diplomatic machismo and corporate lobbying. It was an example of how rotten Whitehall’s oversight of government became in the Cameron years. Now, the sole defence of Hinkley from its apologists concerns the cost of cancellation, in jobs, sunk costs wasted, Foreign Office embarrassment and a hole in government energy policy. None are good arguments for proceeding. Energy experts are now emphatic.Hinkley Point C is the product of prestige, political vanity, diplomatic machismo and corporate lobbying. It was an example of how rotten Whitehall’s oversight of government became in the Cameron years. Now, the sole defence of Hinkley from its apologists concerns the cost of cancellation, in jobs, sunk costs wasted, Foreign Office embarrassment and a hole in government energy policy. None are good arguments for proceeding. Energy experts are now emphatic.
Related: Hinkley C is the wrong project at the wrong price | Editorial
If Britain is to curb its emissions in even the medium term, it must switch its base-load generation from coal to gas, and severely reduce demand. All other “solutions” from the green lobby – carbon capture, intermittent renewables and continental connectivity – are either futurology or dodging the issue.If Britain is to curb its emissions in even the medium term, it must switch its base-load generation from coal to gas, and severely reduce demand. All other “solutions” from the green lobby – carbon capture, intermittent renewables and continental connectivity – are either futurology or dodging the issue.
As for nuclear, it too has moved on from white elephants such as the unproven Hinkley. If money is to be invested in it, then it should go into smaller modular stations.As for nuclear, it too has moved on from white elephants such as the unproven Hinkley. If money is to be invested in it, then it should go into smaller modular stations.
The messy indecisions of the Cameron government are everywhere. Theresa May has already capitulated to the lobbyists over Trident. She still has HS2 and Heathrow to go. Now at least she can put Hinkley out of its misery. As for showing that Britain after Brexit is “still open for business”, yes – but not for stupid business.The messy indecisions of the Cameron government are everywhere. Theresa May has already capitulated to the lobbyists over Trident. She still has HS2 and Heathrow to go. Now at least she can put Hinkley out of its misery. As for showing that Britain after Brexit is “still open for business”, yes – but not for stupid business.