EDF's union board members could vote against Hinkley Point -sources

PARIS, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The six union members on EDF (Paris: FR0010242511 - news) 's 18-seat board would vote against the French utility's 18 billion euros ($20 billion)project to build a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Britain, but other board members do not support the unions' bid to postpone the decision, sources familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

A united front of EDF's unions opposing a major investment decision would be unprecedented.

"If the Hinkley Point project was put to the board today, the six union representatives would all vote against it," one of the sources said.

The unions want EDF to postpone the project to build two Areva (Paris: FR0011027143 - news) -designed European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs) at Hinkley Point in southwest England until it has strengthened its balance sheet and successfully started up at least one of the four EPRs it already has under construction elsewhere, which are all years behind schedule. ($1 = 0.9166 euros) (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Greg Mahlich)