27 June 2018, for immediate release

EDF Energy’s Chief Executive Officer Simone Rossi will address the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce AGM in Kesgrave, Ipswich [1] on 29 June but, according to EDF staff, he will not visit Sizewell, and has ignored an invitation to meet local groups.

“Despite being in post for eight months and speaking about Sizewell regularly to the national media, Simone Rossi appears surprisingly reluctant to visit us,” said Paul Collins of Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS) and Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group (MLSG) said. “If EDF really wants to show its commitment to engagement, Simone Rossi will make it a priority to come and meet the community that is on the frontline of Sizewell C & D and that will suffer a cumulative and disproportionate impact during construction. He owes it to the people of east Suffolk to come and hear our concerns face to face and ensure that EDF meets its stated obligations before the next round of consultation.”

Charles Macdowell of the B1122 Action Group said: “The views of local people and groups are not being taken seriously. We have a great many concerns, many of them shared by the local councils and others. These include the B1122 which is not fit for purpose as the sole access road, the enormous workers’ campus at Eastbridge and the refusal to conduct proper Environmental Impact Assessments. Unless significant changes are made, we will have to conclude that EDF’s consultation process is purely symbolic and that the company has never had any intention of addressing local concerns.”

TEAGS invited Simone Rossi in October 2017 to visit our parishes. Our open letter was published in the East Anglian Daily Times [2] and posted to EDF’s London offices. After eight months, as EDF said it could not locate our letter, Sizewell C Project Development Director Jim Crawford replied, ignoring our invitation to Simone Rossi and instead reiterating the willingness of local staff to meet. [3] EDF staff told TEAGS verbally that Simone Rossi would visit Sizewell “at some point in the future”, but there is no guarantee that he would hold any meetings with local people at that time.

Notes

[1] https://www.ea-today.com/event/suffolk-chamber-june-business-networking-lunch-agm/

[2] East Anglian Daily Times, 31 October 2017, http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/protest-group-asks-new-edf-chief-to-visit-suffolk-to-hear-sizewell-c-views-1-5259290

[3] EDF’s reply can be viewed at https://www.dropbox.com/s/j8jcjv2oi1o4l8i/EDFLetter22June2018.jpeg

Reaction to UK Government investment in Hitachi’s Wylfa Project

5 June 2018: Greg Clark’s statement to Parliament on 4 June confirmed what EDF have told local campaigners; that there are intense discussions ongoing with the UK Government about the funding of new twin reactors at Sizewell. The announcement that the Government is prepared to take a multi-billion pound stake in Wylfa will naturally raise expectations that similar direct investment will be available to other new nuclear projects, despite the Secretary of State’s statement that private funding models are preferred. In recent months, EDF Chief Executive Simone Rossi has made it clear that “this must be the year” in which EDF determines the feasibility of its Sizewell project. Indeed such a demand has already been made by Barrow and Furness’ MP for the NuGen project at Moorside in Cumbria.

Charles Macdowell of the B1122 Action Group said: “We need urgent assurances that this change in government policy – to directly invest in new nuclear projects – will be accompanied by significant guarantees that local communities will be protected as much as possible from the negative environmental and social impact to which they will be exposed. Here in Suffolk that includes removing construction traffic from our country road, and dispersing accommodation for 2,400 construction workers.”

Paul Collins of TEAGS added: “EDF have repeatedly said that they expect to be able to slash the budget for building Sizewell C and D, and this raises serious concerns that the environmental impacts on this area of internationally protected habitats, surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will not be properly addressed. We note that Simone Rossi is visiting Suffolk at the end of June and repeat our request to meet with him and impress upon him the concerns we have for this tranquil and beautiful area.”

4 April 2018

The Times today quoted Simone Rossi of EDF as saying about Sizewell C, “This is the year where we need to understand whether this whole thing is really feasible or not. If we were to conclude that maybe it’s not feasible, then at that point maybe we say we are not in a position to continue the project.” The paper reported that EDF was threatening to halt development of Sizewell C unless it received assurances that a viable funding model existed. [1] EDF later reportedly distanced itself from The Times article. [2]

Reacting to these reports, Paul Collins and Alison Downes of Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell said:

“This is the second story this year concerning EDF’s desperation to save costs. Our almost non-existent faith that EDF will work in the best interests of east Suffolk’s environment and communities has taken yet another blow. It seems impossible that the aspirations of the project being an environmental exemplar, or the adoption of creative approaches to tackling issues such as transport and worker accommodation will be realised. Ultimately this special corner of Suffolk will be the loser.

Simone Rossi is making a great deal of noise about the future of this project. He needs to recognise that many of the delays have been of the company’s own making, and we think he owes it to the people of east Suffolk to come and hear our concerns face to face. We further urge government and our elected representatives not to be swayed by EDF’s imperatives and to robustly ensure that the company does not ride roughshod over affected communities.”

TEAGS is advocating:
* For EDF to reveal its Environmental Impact Assessments and demonstrate how its construction proposals reflect the very special circumstances of Suffolk’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its unique environmentally-sensitive habitats including RSPB Minsmere, and how it will minimise habitat destruction, hydrology impacts, noise, light pollution and disruption to wildlife and visitors.
* An accommodation strategy fully integrated with the needs of local people for affordable housing. Despite strong objections, after Stage 1 EDF narrowed its options to a single location for a campus for 2,400 workers at Eastbridge, prematurely discarding other sites that have potential for legacy housing. Independent consultants Boyer and Cannon have identified a number of other possible sites with this potential.
* A dedicated access road. EDF admitted in November 2017 that road transportation is one of the most challenging aspects of the project and that it does not yet know if the B1122 or the junction with the A12 at Yoxford are fit for purpose.
* An open and transparent approach to understanding coastal processes and landside hydrology. EDF have to date avoided discussions on these issues with relevant stakeholders such as Suffolk Coast Against Retreat.

Notes
1. The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/…/nuclear-site-in-danger-without….
2. East Anglian Daily Times http://www.eadt.co.uk/…/edf-denies-threat-to-abandon-work-o…