Centrica is expected to leave £200 million of investment in the UK’s new nuclear facilities when it pulls out at the start of 2013.

The owners of British Gas had the option to take a 20 percent stake in the construction of a new plants alongside French energy giant EDF, however Centrica chief executive Sam Laidlaw is expected to confirm the departure of the company from the project.

The expected exit has been predicted over fears that the company cannot see any profit after price increases in the construction of the new nuclear infrastructure. Centrica is now expected to focus instead on US expansion.