Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what sanctions are available to his Department should construction of Hinkley Point C run behind schedule or over budget.

EDF has a strong incentive to build Hinkley Point C on time (i.e. by 2025) because of the loss of expected revenues after that time if not.

If EDF does not start generating four years after 2025, then there will be reductions to the contract term; this means that for every day that HPC is late, the period of time where EDF gets increased certainty on the price of its electricity will be reduced.

If HPC is not generating electricity by 2033, there is an option in the contract to cancel the contract. Finally, EDF will pay any extra costs if the cost of building the plant goes over budget.