Some clarification for the uninitiated:
The French European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) is a very complex design and is facing delays at all places it is being built: Flammenville, Oikulito and elsewhere. This is what EDF want to build at Hinkley Point C, and a sister station at Sizewell C. Both stations will be identical to each other, and identical still to the other EPR stations under construction elsewhere.
The American AP1000 is undergoing the general design assessment (GDA) by the UK government. Originally Horizon Nuclear Power were considering this type of reactor for their sites at Wylfa and Oldbury. But this got canned when Horizon Nuclear Power were bought out by the Japanese firm Hitachi. The new reactors being considered now are the ABWR - Advanced Boiling Water Reactor. It's a simpler design to the EPR, and a big advancement from the standard BWR used across Japan (Fukishima was a type of BWR).
NuGen, are a consortium between Toshiba and ENGIE (formerly GDF SUEZ). They own a site directly adjacent to Sellafield called Moorside. The reactor type they are considering the the American Westinghouse AP1000. Why the AP1000? Well Toshiba own a 80+ % controlling stake in Wesntingouse so it makes sense to use a in house reactor design. It's a very very passive reactor design, but is also facing delays in other places it is being built. Due to the unique location (next to Sellafield) UK scientists and engineers are actually trying to convince NuGen to use a fast breeder reactor, called a PRISM reactor, designed by GE-Hitachi, to use our very large plutonium reserves as fuel (hint: plutonium is a fantastic fuel for nuclear reactors).
Lastly, in exchange for Chinese input into EDF's plans at Hinkley and Sizewell, a Chinese firm has won rights to the nuclear licensed site at Bradwell, in Essex. They aim to construct their version of the pressurised water reactor (PWR). This is big news for China. Why? So far they haven't been able to export their PWR design out of local markets (China, Pakistan) and into the Western market. If they do so then they are one of six countries that are able to export reactor designs.
Why is all of what I'm saying important? Geopolitics. With emissions targets to reach many governments around the world are keen to build nuclear plants as a solution to high energy demand and low emissions needs. That's great for reactor export countries like USA, France, India, China, Japan, Canada. Where does that put the UK? In a very interesting position. We will essentially have a service based nuclear economy, with our nuclear scientists and engineers providing expertise around the world due to our diverse nuclear mix. The National Nuclear Laboratory (tax payer funded) already put out some amazing work.
