Hitachi debacle strengthens Franco-Chinese hand in UK nuclear

Hitachi's decision to freeze its $28 billion nuclear power project in Britain strengthens the hand of France's EDF and its Chinese partner in talks with the government on how to finance new reactors. Funding new nuclear plants has become critical as Hitachi became the second Japanese firm to say its British nuclear power project had hit the buffers over financing. The two projects would have covered about 13 percent of Britain's power needs.