Centrica has abandoned its option in UK nuclear power plant development due to rising costs and delays in construction.

The withdrawal now means that no major UK companies are now involved with plans to construct the UK’s next series of nuclear power plants.

Chinese based Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation, who had been in talks with Centrica, may now pick up Centrica’s option.

The withdrawal of Centrica follows E.ON and RWE leaving the Horizon joint venture in 2012 and SSE abandoning the nuclear consortium in 2011.