Wylfa nuclear plant closes in Wales

The oldest nuclear plant in the UK, shuts as the focus is on energy provider EDF over its plans for new facilities at Hinkley Point. After 44 years of service the plant is being decommissioned. The bill for this has been quoted at £700m, and could take another ten years. The site cannot be redeveloped before the end of the century, which means high-level waste from Wylfa will remain on Anglesey until a national nuclear waste disposal facility is finally developed, (Source The Guardian).

Britain still has a fleet of atomic reactors run by EDF but most of these will be retired by 2023. The government has also promised to halt all coal-fired power stations at the same time.

EDF mentors’ students through engineering course

Hartlepool power station’s innovative engineering mentoring scheme continues to be a great success, say delighted bosses. Five students from the scheme are currently being supported by EDF. They are part of a two–year mentoring scheme which sees sixth formers from the area’s schools and colleges working with engineers from the station, (Source Hartlepool Mail).

Annual grants from EDF Energy along with potential summer placements are part of a drive to procure new talent. The students work with a variety of different engineers and are also given advice on important skills such as how to write a CV and the correct techniques for interviews.

This type of intervention is essential for those who want to go into a trade. College is great for theory, however, placements are invaluable in that practical skills are learned. Similar in a lot of ways to apprenticeships. Last year according to Ugov, apprenticeship applications increased by almost 50%. EDF is innovative in that it is taking the initiative and taking its cohorts from sixth form colleges in the Hartlepool area.

Belfast Giants beat Dundee stars 5-2 at the SSE Arena

SSE arena saw Belfast Giants beat Dundee stars 5-2. Goals from Dickenson and Radja saw the sides tied at 1-1 after the first period, with Desmarais and Forney on target to move the hosts two ahead by the end of the second period. Walser scored for Belfast, Lidhamer pulled one back, but Radja completed the scoring soon after to make it a convincing triumph for the Giants. Sports snippet thrown in for those who enjoy the game.

Eon splits business operations

Finally, Eon have completed the split of its business operations which will see Eon focusing on renewables, energy networks and customer solutions. The new independent business unit Uniper will concentrate on conventional power generation and energy trading. The two companies will operate out of separate headquarters, with Uniper in Dusseldorf, while Eon will be based in Essen, (Source renews).

Eon’s chief executive officer Johannes Teyssen said: “This liberates us from continually having to make compromises. Our ambition is for both companies, which soon will be legally independent of one another, to become leading players in their respective energy worlds”.

European utilities have been under continued pressure over the last several years as the deployment of subsidised renewable technologies undermines the profitability of conventional thermal generation, (Source utilityweek.co.uk).

The ever changing market environment is taking its toll on energy companies globally. The world is now deploying more renewable energy in the production of electricity, more wind and solar power in particular than it is fossil fuels, according to the analysts at Bloomburg New Energy Finance. In 2013 the world added 143 gigawatts of new renewables capacity compared to the 142 gigawatts of power generated by coal, natural gas and oil combined, (Source ecowatch.com).