EDF: Lobbying

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Background

Électricité de France (EDF) aims to become one of the most powerful energy companies in Europe.[1]

Its subsidiary EDF Energy is already one of the largest energy companies in the UK, employing more than 11,000 people, and supplying gas and electricity to about a quarter of the country's population. [2]

In recent years it has bought the firms SWEB Energy and Seeboard Energy, and now owns the Sutton Bridge, West Burton and Cottam power stations, and the TXU and Seeboard networks businesses. [3]

PR and lobbying

EDF is playing a key role in pushing for new nuclear power stations in the UK.

Private Eye (issue 1151, p8) reported in February 2006 that Chancellor Gordon Brown's younger brother Andrew Brown is EDF Energy's Head of Press. Brown junior previously worked for the lobbying company Weber Shandwick (whose former UK chief executive Philip Dewhurst, is now Director of Group Corporate Affairs at BNFL). [4][5]

In November 2005, EFD's Chief Executive, Vincent de Rivaz, told a parliamentary committee that new nuclear power stations could be built within ten years if planning and licensing laws are relaxed. [6]

In evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, he said that new nuclear power stations should be built to help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, increase security of supply and lower energy price volatility. [7]

EDF was behind a widely-reported MORI poll, published in November 2005, which claimed that the 'majority of people now believe nuclear power has a vital role to play in meeting Britain's energy requirements and in reducing carbon dioxide emissions'. The poll also showed that the majority of people (76 per cent) believe nuclear plants are vulnerable to terrorist attack, and more than half think that atomic energy causes dangerous pollution. [8]

This poll was the main focus of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy at its 25 January 2006 meeting. An advance notice of the meeting stated: 'The meeting will focus on the findings of recent MORI polling that shows how Parliamentarians and the public view nuclear power today. The study compares the most recent results to those of previous years, and tracks the way attitudes towards nuclear power have shifted. Robert Knight, Research Director at Ipsos MORI will present the key information produced during the studies and Keith Parker, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA), will provide a briefing on how the industry hopes to learn from and build on this evidence in the year ahead.'[9]

EDF uses the lobbying firm AS Biss and Co. [10]

In January 2008, EDF is listed as a client of French PR firm I&E[11]

Free Fastrack Nuclear Power Plants

As part of its submission to the Government's energy review, EDF has offered the government a programme to build a new fleet of French designed nuclear power stations in Britain - at no cost to the taxpayer.

So what's the catch? EDF wants a system to guarantee the price of its electricity - and to fast track the planning process for any new plants. According to Pierre Gadonneix, the chairman and CEO of the EDF Group, the company would be "very willing" to play a role to make nuclear acceptable to public opinion. EDF is said to have a Euro 40 billion war-chest to expand nuclear worldwide, but a prime target is the UK. [12]

EDF's nuclear land-grab

In mid-2008, it emerged that EDF had been quietly buying up land next nuclear power stations, putting itself in strong position if the next generation of nuclear power stations received the go-ahead.

The Financial Times reported that EDF had bought parcels of land next to Hinkley B in Somerset and Wylfa on Anglesey. [13]

Ironically, some of the land near Hinkley was the site of a proposed wind farm. Renewable energy company Your Energy had been trying to get planning permission for nine turbines on the West Hinkley site since 2002, but faced what campaigners describe as 'continuous objections' from British Energy. [14]

EDF spies on Greenpeace

In April 2009 it was reported that a senior executive of EDF, which owns the main UK nuclear power operator British Energy, had been charged on suspicion of spying on the environmental group Greenpeace.[15]

A Guardian article on the story states:

The investigation is centred on the 2006 hacking of a computer system used by Yannick Jadot, who was then Greenpeace campaigns director. EDF, which runs France's network of 58 electricity-producing nuclear reactors, has often been the target of Greenpeace campaigns. Greenpeace has speculated that the hacking incident could have been linked to their campaign to block EDF's construction of a vast, new generation nuclear reactor in Flamanville on the north coast.[16]

Affiliations

  • Nuclear Development Forum - both Vincent  de  Rivaz and Humphrey  Cadoux-­‐Hudson attended the NDF's May 2012 meeting. [17]
  • Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) - EDF commissioned research by IPPR published in June 2012 which claimed that 'UK investment in new nuclear could boost the UK economy by £5 billion a year, create new export markets and generate many thousands of jobs'. [18]

References, Resources and Contact

Resources

References

  1. ↑ EDF Group website: 'Who we are', undated, accessed February 2006.
  2. ↑ EDF Energy website: 'Welcome', undated, accessed February 2006.
  3. ↑ EDF Energy website: 'About EDF Energy' undated, accessed February 2006.
  4. ↑ No named author, Private Eye issue 1151, p8, February 2006
  5. ↑ Chris Grimshaw, 'It's official: no dark Machiavellian conspiracy for new nuclear power', Corporate Watch newsletter, issue 21, December 2004.
  6. ↑ Uncorrected transcript of evidence given by Vincent de Rivaz to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2 November 2005.
  7. ↑ House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, ibid.
  8. ↑ EDF Energy press release: 'Londoners say UK should be self sufficient in energy', November 7, 2005.
  9. ↑ All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy: Meetings, January 25, 2006.
  10. ↑ AS Biss & Co: 'Our Clients', undated, (Accessed: February 2006.)
  11. ↑ I&E Clients Accessed 17th January 2008
  12. ↑ Faisal Islam, "Going Fission", Channel Four News, 12 April 2006.
  13. ↑ Ed Crooks and Rebecca Bream, 'EDF snaps up 'nuclear' land', Financial Times, 9 May 2008.
  14. ↑ Wind-farm rights sold to nuclear developer, Stop Hinkley Campaign press release, 13 May 2008.
  15. ↑ Angelique Chrisafis, "French energy company executive charged with spying on Greenpeace", The Guardian, 1 April 2009, accessed 5 April 2009
  16. ↑ Angelique Chrisafis, "French energy company executive charged with spying on Greenpeace", The Guardian, 1 April 2009, accessed 5 April 2009
  17. ↑ Nuclear  Development  Forum  15  May  2012  Attendee  List
  18. ↑ I-Nuclear, UK investment in new nuclear could boost GDP by £5 billion/year; add many thousands of jobs, June 25, 2012, acc same day
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