John Hutton, the former Business Secretary who was the architect of Britain’s plans to build a series of nuclear power stations, is in talks with EDF about joining the group as a senior adviser, The Times has learnt.

EDF Energy, the British arm of the French state-controlled nuclear energy company, confirmed last night that it was holding discussions with Mr Hutton about appointing him to look at “key strategic issues”.

The company refused to say how much he might be paid and cautioned that no appointment had been made. It said that any decision would require approval by the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which advises the Prime Minister.

Mr Hutton, Labour MP for Barrow-in-Furness since 1992, served as Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform from 2007 to last year, during which time he announced the Government’s decision to support the construction of a series of nuclear reactors.

He also oversaw the £12.5 billion sale of British Energy, the nuclear generator, to EDF, which is 83 per cent owned by the French state, in September 2008. Soon afterwards Mr Hutton moved to become Defence Secretary but resigned in June. At the time, he also announced that he was standing down as an MP at the next election and cited family reasons.

Mr Hutton, viewed by many in the Labour Party as an arch Blairite, was one of the strongest advocates of EDF’s acquisition of British Energy, the owner of most of the preferred sites for building nuclear power stations in the UK, including Sizewell in Suffolk, Dungeness in Kent and Hinkley Point in Somerset.

When EDF’s proposed takeover of British Energy, in which the Government held a 35 per cent stake, ran into trouble because a group of relcalcitrant investors were holding out for a higher price, Mr Hutton intervened personally in support of EDF.

In the aftermath of the deal, he famously declared that Britain’s “nuclear bandwagon is rolling”.

Niall Bennett, a spokesman for Greenpeace, the anti-nuclear campaign group, said: “The very fact that this appointment looks like a serious proposition is indicative of the cosy relationship that the nuclear industry has with the Government.” EDF plans to use the acquisition of British Energy as a platform to build at least four nuclear reactors in Britain to a French design.

The plants, each of which would generate 1,600 megawatts — enough to power a city the size of Manchester — will operate for up to 60 years. Construction of the first plant is due to begin in 2013 and generation will start in 2017.

EDF also confirmed yesterday that Lord Patten of Barnes, the former Conservative Cabinet minister and last Governor of Hong Kong, had joined the group in recent months in a similar role.

EDF Energy set up a Stakeholder Advisory Panel in 2006. A spokesman said that its role was to allow the company’s senior management “to draw on the experience of eminent and diverse senior advisers outside of EDF Energy to discuss key strategic issues and their impact on our business”. Other members of the panel are Will Hutton, Diane Coyle, John Roberts and Simon Robertson.

EDF is the largest utility company in the world and reported earnings of more than €15 billion (£13 billion) in 2008, on revenues of €64 billion. The company operates 59 nuclear reactors in France, which generate more than 85 per cent of the country’s electricity.

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