Sizewell C Receives £100m Cash Injection from the Government.

Plans to build the new Sizewell C nuclear power station have received a £100 million cash injection from the government.

According to EDF Energy, Sizewell C will see the creation of a 3.2-gigawatt power station. This will provide reliable low-carbon electricity which doesn’t rely on the weather.



The EPR reactor design has been approved by the UK’s nuclear regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). This means it satisfies Britain’s high and robust standards for nuclear safety.

Resilience

Ministers hope the Suffolk plant would increase the UK's long-term energy resilience. In addition, it is hoped that nuclear power will boost Britain's energy security in the face of volatile gas prices.

"We need to ensure Britain's future energy supply is bolstered by reliable, affordable, low carbon power that is generated in this country," said Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

New nuclear will not only "insure greater energy independence," but "create high-quality jobs and drive economic growth", he said.

Nuclear power can generate electricity without the climate-heating pollution associated with burning fossil fuels like gas, for instance. It is a part of the government's strategy to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Low Carbon

Once built, Sizewell C will generate low-carbon electricity for at least 60 years and will employ 900 people. This is in addition to the thousands of jobs needed for maintenance outages.

Sizewell C will be built next to Sizewell B which began operating in 1995. It has so far avoided more than 76 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

"More renewables will help to bring bills down more quickly and are quicker to build while employing people right across the UK," said Jess Ralston from energy think tank ECIU.

"In light of current volatile gas prices affecting bills at least for the next few years, it will surely be a priority for the government to look at how they can reduce bills," added Ms Ralston. "Ways to significantly reduce the costs of new nuclear would need to be found."

Job Boost

Simone Rossi, CEO of EDF, said the funding help protect the UK from energy shocks, lower energy costs and boost jobs.

Negotiations between the Government and EDF, the project developer, began last year. Ministers hope the cash will help progress the plans and attract more cash from private investors.

If built, Sizewell C could power the equivalent of about six million homes and support up to 10,000 jobs in Suffolk and across the UK. The plant will be a "near replica" of Hinkley Point C in Somerset.

Kwasi Kwarteng, Business and Energy Secretary said:

“We need to ensure Britain's future energy supply is bolstered by reliable, affordable, low carbon power that is generated in this country.

New nuclear will not only "Insure greater energy independence" but "create high-quality jobs and drive economic growth".