LONDON: Britain's decision to stall a Franco-Chinese project to build its first nuclear power plant in a generation has fuelled speculation that the new government is reviewing its energy strategy to boost the role of renewables.
Prime Minister Theresa May has given no clear reason for delaying final approval of the Hinkley Point plant, with her spokesman saying only that it was "an extremely important decision that we have to get right".
Critics cite the enormous cost of the £18-billion (21-billion-euro, $23 billion) project as well as security concerns about the involvement of China's major energy group CGN.
They also question whether France's EDF energy giant can deliver on the latest EPR reactors which have been plagued by delays and cost overruns at projects in France and Finland.
Others have asked if a new nuclear plant is the best way to address Britain's energy needs during a time of advances in renewables, particularly wind power, a promising source of energy on an island nation.
Peter Williamson, professor of international management at the University of Cambridge, said the reasons for the delay were "multiple and complicated".
"Not only the questions some people have raised about security but also the question of the economics and the high guaranteed price for the electricity," he told AFP.
EDF would be guaranteed £92.50 per megawatt hour produced by Hinkley Point over 35 years, but that is looking increasingly generous as energy prices fall.
There was also "the question of whether we should opt for a few large nuclear plants or consider new 'mini-nuclear' technologies or other energy alternatives", Williamson said.
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