Network Rail in 10-year low carbon power deal with EDF Energy

The operator of Britain's railway infrastructure, Network Rail, has struck a 10-year deal with the French-owned EDF Energy to provide low-carbon nuclear power to the railways.

According to International Business Times, Under the £3-billion contract, EDF would supply around 3.2 terrawatt hours of energy per year to the railway network for the next decade, while providing low-carbon energy generated from its eight nuclear power stations.

"The deal places nuclear energy at the heart of the UK's infrastructure for the next 10 years and serves to underline that nuclear power is part of everyday life in Britain," Vincent de Rivaz, CEO of EDF Energy, said in a statement.

The electricity would primarily be used for powering electric trains, which accounts for 55 per cent of the traffic the publication said. Network Rail was considering electrification of over 2,000 track miles across Britain over the coming years.

Following the completion of the schemes, that form part of Network Rail's major expansion plan for the 2014-19 funding period, 75 per cent of the rail traffic of Britain would be electric-powered.

Network Rail earlier proposed a £37.5 billion strategic business plan for the operation and expansion of the UK's railway over five years to 2019.

According to David Higgins, Network Rail chief executive, rail was already the greenest form of public transport and this partnership with EDF Energy would help make it greener still. He added, the company's work to electrify hundreds of miles of railway represented the biggest programme of rail electrification in a generation and would provide faster, quieter and more reliable journeys for millions of passengers every week while cutting the cost of the railway.

The deal, however came for criticism from environmental charity WWF Scotland, which said Network Rail could have chosen to use renewable power sources rather than "dirty nuclear power".