New blow for Hinkley Point contractor EDF after French safety checks

Safety issues force many reactors offline with warnings of power cuts across France, higher energy prices and a rise in emissions

The company building the UK's first new nuclear power station for decades is facing questions over the health of its fleet of French nuclear plants after an investigation which has left the country with the lowest level of nuclear power for 10 years and the prospect of power cuts during a cold snap.

Thirteen of ilectriciti(C) de France's (EDF) 58 atomic plants are offline, some due to planned maintenance, but most for safety checks ordered by the regulator over anomalies discovered in reactor parts.