Investment decision for Sizewell C ‘excellent news for jobs and energy security’

The Times is reporting that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is ready to approve the investment needed for the new Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk.

When built by its target date of 2035, the new £20bn plant will provide enough electricity to power six million UK homes.

Alongside the investment for Sizewell C, the Prime Minister will also confirm, before the spending review in June, plans for a fleet of new generation, mini nuclear power stations known as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to be built across different locations.

Responding to the reports, Mike Clancy, Prospect General Secretary, said:

“Prospect has been calling for the government to get moving on new nuclear so if true that a Final Investment Decision for Sizewell C is imminent then that is excellent news for jobs and energy security.

“New nuclear, both large scale and SMRs, has the potential to create thousands of long-term, high-quality jobs across the country if done as part of an integrated programme to protect and create the skills we need. It will also be an essential component of our energy mix as we move to net zero, providing much needed energy security for our country.

“Both investors and the workforce have been crying out for certainty for years, we now need an ambitious plan for the role new nuclear can play in securing Britain’s clean energy future.”