The UK government has pledged £14.2 billion to the Sizewell C nuclear power plant along Suffolk, part of a long-term strategy to improve energy security and cut household bills – although the benefits won’t be realized until the next decade.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the development as a key move towards energy independence and giving the UK a way to protect itself from future global energy shocks, claiming: “We are not writing blank checks, but this investment allows us to control our energy and protect ourselves from volatile international markets.”
The announcement is part of a broader government plan to attract investment, stimulate growth and position the UK at the forefront of clean energy. The funding is expected to help attract further private investment and reignite a project that has been discussed for more than a decade.
However, with the support of the state-owned French company EDF, the Sizewell C project continues to generate intense criticism of costs, timelines and environmental footprints.
The government insists that the project will “reduce a multi-million dollar bill,” but Energy Minister Ed Miliband confirmed that the plant is not expected to start generating electricity until the mid-2030s. This means that families won’t feel the financial benefits of the program for at least another decade.
The £14.2 billion announced this week, including £2.7 billion in the fall budget, will only cover the five years of development of the project. Total costs remain uncertain, with estimates ranging from £20 billion to £40 billion, raising concerns about financial transparency and investor confidence.
Work, energy security and net zero
Sizewell C is expected to create 10,000 jobs during construction and 900 permanent roles after operation. The plant will eventually generate electricity for about 6 million homes and operate for up to 60 years.
The union welcomes the announcement. GMB Secretary General Warren Kenny said the project would provide “thousands of quality, skilled, unionized jobs”, while Prospect’s Mike Clancy called it “essential” to reach the net zero goal, providing a clean, stable supply of energy to supplement renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy in the middle.
Starmer also highlights the impact of national security, which shows that Britain’s energy sovereignty is key to resisting international threats: “There are no longer boots for an authoritarian regime like Putin to our throats,” he said.
Local sounds are separated
The reactions between local residents are still mixed together. Some, like Chris Matthews, a trainee caregiver from Leston, praised the investment as a way to boost the town’s economy: “We live with Sizewell A and B. This will bring about work and prosperity and we need energy independence.”
However, other projects have caused damage to the environmental impact of the project. Jenny Kirtley, chairman of the game against Sizewell C, said: “The whole area is changing before our eyes. I cried and watched what was going on many occasions.”
Farmer David Grant’s land will be split by a new pass road, marked “outrageous” funding, and has a bad record with Edf’s delays and budget overspending at Hinkley Point.
The project has seen years of changing numbers and staggered announcements. Critics say that the government is investing public funds prematurely because private investment has not been fully secured. Alison Downes of campaign group Sizewell C said ministers are not “sweeping” at real costs and taxpayers are still facing potential overspending.
The EDF’s cost estimate for rejecting £40 billion was inaccurate, but its Somerset sister website, Hinkley Point C (also developed by EDF) has been late for more than a decade and has a budget of more than billions of dollars.
The final decision of the Sizewell C financing model is expected later this summer.
Even if construction progresses (as site clearance and access to infrastructure progress), there are still issues regarding the project’s long-term affordability, environmental footprint and feasibility.
The Department of Energy Security said Sizewell C is part of the government’s plan to “promote social and affordable housing in a generation, as well as support for first-time buyers”, a confusing convergence that underlines the pressure of the workforce to quickly win under challenging financial constraints.
Despite its complexity, the government remains bullish on the role of nuclear energy in a greener future. In addition to the Sizewell announcement, Rolls-Royce has also won a £2.5 billion contract to deliver three state-of-the-art nuclear reactors as part of a wider national hub for new nuclear energy.
But the promise of cheap energy remains far away for the high bills that millions of British families struggle to today. For now, Sizewell C is still betting on the future – ministers hope that it will eventually pay off.
