Construction begins on China-invested British nuclear project

Hinkley Point C nuclear power station site is seen near Bridgwater in Britain, Sept 14, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - Construction is underway on the main part of a nuclear power project at Hinkley Point in Britain funded partly by Chinese investment.

The latest news of power plant was revealed by Tan Jiansheng, vice president of China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), at a press conference Tuesday.

As a flagship projects of China-Britain cooperation, Hinkley Point C is co-invested by a CGN-led Chinese consortium and French state-owned power giant EDF, with the Chinese side holding a one-third stake in the project.

The two sides struck the final agreement on the 18 billion British pound project with the British government in September last year. It will be the first new nuclear power plant in Britain for more than 20 years.

Upon completion, Hinkley Point C will provide 7 percent of Britain's electricity, according to Tan.

CGN and EDF are cooperating on another two British nuclear projects at Sizewell and Bradwell. The Bradwell project will use the Hualong One design, China's third-generation nuclear reactor design, if the technology passes British regulatory inspections.