HINKLEY C developer EDF Energy yesterday ended speculation by confirming its plans for a new nuclear power station have been pushed off track following the discovery of "significant" amounts of asbestos.

But it remains adamant that huge progress has already been made on site and it is understood the main contract for the station will be awarded in the coming days.

It has always been known that some asbestos was buried on-site following the construction of the existing stations, but the extent of the material appears to have taken EDF by surprise.

It will now take until the end of the year just for the asbestos to be removed, meaning the main earthworks will be unable to start until 2013 at the earliest.

Yesterday (Thursday), the French company confirmed it had had to re-apply to West Somerset Council for an extension to its permission to carry out remedial works on the site.

"Contractors have found significantly more asbestos materials than initially expected.

"The asbestos was left over from the construction of the A and B stations in the 1960s and 1970s.

"Local residents and councils have been regularly informed and updated over several months about the presence of asbestos in larger than expected quantities and the steps being taken to remove it," an EDF spokesman said yesterday (Thursday).

The news comes just weeks after national speculation that major excavations at the site had been delayed - a claim the firm did not deny at the time.

Instead, it said work had progressed well since it began in February this year, including archaeological excavations, fencing, demolition of old disused barns, footpath diversions and vegetation clearance.

However, there were further claims this week that the contract to build the power station itself had, in turn, been hit by a hold up.

The BBC claimed EDF had been due to announce the winner of the main £1 billion plus contract this week.

However, the Free Press understands that progress is being made on the awarding of the main civil contract, with more details likely to emerge in the coming days.

A spokesman for EDF said the company did not comment on active tenders due to confidentiality agreements.

"However, we can say that we expect to be able to make an announcement to take forward this particular contract soon," the spokesman said.

EDF was given permission by West Somerset Council last year to carry out extensive site preparation works in anticipation of it being given the go-ahead to build Hinkley C.

An EDF spokesman said the safety of staff working on the site had to be paramount.

"As part of the work to enable preparation works on-site, EDF Energy has been carrying out approved remedial work to clean up historic asbestos material, but more time is required to remove the asbestos materials safely and in a controlled manner.

"This will allow us to work safely, efficiently and expeditiously when we progress into the large-scale earth-moving activities.

"These activities can only commence once the site has been cleared of asbestos materials.

"We anticipate that this work will be completed towards the end of this year due to the amount of materials needed to be cleared, after which large-scale earth-moving activities should commence," he said.

The spokesman said the procurement process for the project was also on track and it had always been assumed that "certain contracts" would only be signed once a final investment decision had been made.

That decision is due later this year, as is a recommendation from the National Infrastructure

Directorate of the Planning Inspectorate, formerly the Infrastructure Planning Commission, as to whether a new power station can be built.

It will then be up to Energy Secretary Ed Davey to make the appropriate order if her agrees, something which is likely to happen in the spring of 2013.

Only this week, Lord Marland, the Government's energy spokesman in the Lords insisted that the Government was "on the cusp" of clearing the path for the UK's first nuclear power station for a generation.

Lord Marland said: "It has been 27 years since a new nuclear power station was commissioned and we are on the cusp of commissioning one in this country at Hinkley Point.

"In December this year, given all the difficulties we have encountered with [the Japanese nuclear disaster in] Fukushima and things like that, we will have the planning process before the Secretary of State."

EDF has already agreed a £30 million package of mitigation works as part of the planning permission to carry out site preparation works at Hinkley.

The works cover more than 400 acres and include the construction of roads, roundabouts and car parks.

In addition to clearing and levelling the land of hedgerows, woodland and grassland, around 11 kilometres of footpaths have been diverted, including part of the nationally important South West Coastal Path.

EDF has pledged to "restore" the site if permission for a new power station is, ultimately, refused.

Andrew Goodchild, West Somerset Council's planning manager, said alterations to the programme of works on ant building site were "not out of the ordinary".

He added: "With regards to site preparation work, the pace of work is in the gift of the applicant.

"Naturally, with matters of health and safety, we commend the thorough approach being taken by EDF Energy and we consider its actions appropriate under the circumstances.

"There has been good progress on site generally and EDF Energy continues to demonstrate strong commitment to this project.

"We will continue to work with EDF and the other agencies in order for it to progress its proposals appropriately in line with the permissions given."