The Development Consent Order
On 19 March 2013 the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) to EDF Energy to build and operate Hinkley Point C and associated development. The decision follows the submission of EDF Energy’s application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (now the Planning Inspectorate) on 31 October 2011.
Documents relating to the decision can be found by viewing the case file on the National Infrastructure Planning website.
What is happening at Hinkley Point C
EDF’s Site Preparation Works application (3/32/10/037) was granted consent on 27 January 2012. The decision is accompanied by a legal agreement under a Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act and a series of phase related requirements. Before starting work EDF is required to discharge the relevant requirements and specific obligations with the relevant authority.
EDF Energy has completed the Site Preparation Works and has now ‘transitioned’ to the DCO consent. We monitor and control the works via obligations and requirements set out in the Decision Notice, the Section 106 legal agreement and the Development Consent Order.
The Hinkley Point C (Nuclear Generating Station) Order 2013 came into force on 9 April 2013. EDF Energy is currently submitting applications to the appropriate authorities to discharge requirements. These are similar to planning conditions. The submissions will go to either Somerset Council or the Marine Management Organisation.
EDF Energy and the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) signed the Strategic Investment Agreement on 21 October 2015. Under this agreement, EDF has a 66.5% share in Hinkley Point C while CGN has 33.5%.
On 28 July 2016 EDF Board of Directors approved the Final Investment Decision to build Hinkley Point C.
Immediately following this decision, the UK Government launched a further review of the scheme before contracts were signed. This delayed the final decision until autumn 2016. On 29 September 2016 the UK Government, EDF Energy and CGN signed the final documents to enable the HPC project to go ahead.
Requirements of the DCO are currently being discharged by the Council.
Development Consent Order requirements
The consent order contains a list of requirements, similar to planning conditions. We issue an application reference number to each formal requirement submission.
Details of all requirement discharge submissions and other Hinkley Point C related decision notices can be found in our planning search. Please type in the search box ‘Hinkley Point C’ to see a full list of applications.