THE former project director of EDF Hinkley Point C has hit back at claims he left the company as he did not 'have full faith' in the project, in a letter to the Times newspaper.

Chris Bakken also states that abandoning Hinkley as a form of future electricity would jeopardise 'jobs for the 25,000 people who will work on its construction.'

Published on March 10 he letter reads: "Sir, your leader suggests that I left EDF Energy because it I did not appear to have full faith in the Hinkley Point C project.

"Far from it. The reason for my departure was that I was born and brought up in the US and decided to move back to the US so that my wife and I could return to our family.

"The economics of the project have stood up to repeated scrutiny.

"EDF and its Chinese partner are shouldering the construction risks and consumers will not pay a penny until the plant generates its reliable low carbon electricity.

"Nor is it fair to compare the strike price with today’s depressed wholesale electricity prices.

"Hinkley will be competitive with all other forms of future electricity generation and its power will be available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.

"Abandoning this would not only deny the UK 7 per cent of potential power supply at a time when it will be most needed but also jeopardises jobs for the 25,000 people who will work on its construction.

"Chris Bakken

"Former project director, Hinkley Point C."

From April 6, Chris will take up the post of executive vice president and chief nuclear officer for US-based Energy Corporation.

The news was announced at the start of February that the director would be leaving EDF.

Chris lead the way with Hinkley C's design, licensing, procurement, construction and commissioning.