EDF to sell off site for new build nuclear plant

French utilty firm EDF Energy wants "credible nuclear operators" to submit expressions of interest in buying one of its UK sites to build a new nuclear plant.

The French firm said it will only consider bids from operators of existing nuclear plants. Bidders for the land are expected to include a joint venture of RWE and EON and Spanish utility Iberdrola in partnership with GDF Suez and Scottish and Southern Energy.

EDF plans to sell land at either its Dungeness nuclear power plant in Kent or  at  its Heysham site in Lancashire.

"These sites have good potential for new build and will be attractive to potential developers of nuclear power plants," said Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, EDF Energy's nuclear new build md.

The site would be used to build one of the first new build nuclear plants as part of the UK's £40bn new nuclear programme. The programme aims to deliver at least ten nuclear plants built in the UK by 2025.

EDF bought the two power stations at Dungeness and Heysham as part of its takeover of British Energy in January. However the firm pledged to sell some of British Energy's sites as part of the deal.

EDF already has its sights set on Hinckley Point and Sizewell for the location of its first four EPR nuclear reeactor plants. The firm hopes to have the first of these plants up and running by 2017.