Lloyds Bank launches 100 mln stg fund for UK's Hinkley Point

LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) -

* Lloyds Bank has launched a 100 million pound ($135 million) fund to help small businesses take advantage of supply chain opportunities during the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in Britain, it said on Friday

* The fund will help small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Britain access discounted lending and take part in the project

* The fund can also be used by businesses that provide indirect services to the power plant through an agreed contract such as hotels, transport, catering, facilities management and security services, Lloyds said in a statement

* Hinkley Point C in Somerset is due to come online by the end of 2025 and will be the first nuclear plant built in Britain for decades

($1 = 0.7404 pounds) (Reporting by Nina Chestney)