We saw what happened to Areva building reactors on a fixed cost contract. Today's economic realities do not quite let one plan a 10 year project on a fixed cost. 3.3bn do not equate to 2007 3.3bn in 2020. The Chinese are able to do it because they not a free market economy, they can force people to work at gunpoint.

So, these things are not viable in a market economy? Why should they be pursued then?

They are viable but I'm quite skeptical about accurately estimating the costs for a 10 year project. Concrete, steel, fuel, workforce costs fluctuate from a year to another, let alone 10 years. We'll just have to accept that there are going to be cost overruns.

Comparatively to other nuclear companies and in aggregate, EDF has the best safety record, the cheapest energy when subsidies are taken out, and is solidly profitable. That one or two constructions went overbudget does not matter if the result is still head and shoulders ahead of the fray.