EDF says it鈥檚 still close to releasing 拢18bn budget despite reports decision could be 鈥渟everal months鈥 away

EDF's Hinkley Point C

EDF is still telling potential suppliers on Hinkley Point C to restart spending despite reports that a final investment decision could be 鈥渟everal months鈥 away.

Reports from Reuters and the Financial Times both suggested a decision on the 拢18bn nuclear power plant has again been postponed by the EDF board.

The FT reported it could take 鈥渟everal months鈥 before the finance is sorted for the project.

But a source close to Hinkley told 好色先生TV: 鈥淣othing has changed from EDF, the same message is still coming out.鈥

The source also told 好色先生TV they understood the final investment decision 鈥渄idn鈥檛 go to the board鈥 today and that 鈥渟ome advisory work was done instead about private financing鈥.

EDF instructed its suppliers to restart 鈥渦nconstrained spending鈥 on the scheme last month.

At the time, sources close to the process told 好色先生TV: 鈥淓DF used the words 鈥榰nconstrained spending鈥 to the supply chain to get the project moving. By 鈥榰nconstrained鈥 they mean 鈥榳e鈥檙e going to go on as if a decision has been made.鈥欌

A final investment decision was previously expected to be made in January at EDF鈥檚 monthly board meeting, but was reportedly taken off after last minute concerns from some of the project鈥檚 most important backers.

Reuters also said a new internal report by the former head of French state nuclear agency CEA, Yannick d鈥橢scatha, has raised doubts about whether Hinkley can be built on schedule.

It added that the project鈥檚 拢18bn (23.21 billion euros) cost is bigger than EDF鈥檚 22.5 billion euro market value.