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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with (a) EDF and (b) the Low Carbon Contracts Company about an extension of EDF's deadline for generating electricity from reactor one at Hinkley Point C nuclear plant while continuing to access the full 35 year contractual period of the Contract for Difference.

The Government, the Low Carbon Contract Company (LCCC) and EDF maintain regular contact on the Hinkley Point C Contract for Difference (CfD).

In their role as counterparty to the CfD, the LCCC have recognised that COVID-19 is capable of being a Force Majeure event and discussions on this are ongoing.

HPC is a private, developer-led project and any cost overruns during construction are borne by the developer.