The supplier said he had decided “to return to the USA, his home country, to pursue new professional opportunities whilst allowing him to spend more time with his family.”
Bakken had been working on HPC since 2009, when he joined EDF’s newly formed New Nuclear Build business unit.
His departure follows an EDF board meeting last week, which did not result in a final investment decision as many had been expecting.
John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, claimed a link between the two: “This move is yet another symptom of the disquiet this project is causing within the company itself.
“The whole enterprise makes so little economic sense that EDF’s own staff and many board members are concerned it will seriously damage the company.”
Speaking at dinner for the Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies on Monday night, EDF chief executive Vincent de Rivaz, said: “I can tell you that I am absolutely confident that Hinkley Point C will be reaching a final investment decision soon.”
Philippe Bordarier, chief nuclear officer for EDF Energy Generation, has been appointed as Bakken’s successor. EDF said: “He has brought many valuable skills and experiences with him, and been at the heart of the successful relationship and business delivery between the French and UK nuclear operating fleets.
“These leadership and stakeholder engagement strengths are particularly critical for the next phase of HPC.”