Sizewell C Nuclear Power Plant Could Get Go Ahead Within Weeks

UK ministers are reportedly on the brink of giving the green light to the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk, potentially within a matter of weeks. Labour leader Keir Starmer is expected to confirm this decision during a key UK-France summit scheduled next month, bringing an end to a 15-year effort to secure crucial investment since the site was first flagged for nuclear development in 2010.

The project represents Britain’s second major nuclear construction in a generation following Hinkley Point C in Somerset. It has made significant strides in recent months, with the government now in the final stages of negotiating billions of pounds in private-sector funding. The project is estimated to cost around £40 billion, with a mix of government backing, taxpayer input, and levies on energy bills expected to fund its construction.

The upcoming decision coincides with the release of the government’s spending review on 11 June, which is likely to outline further public investment in Sizewell C. Current projections indicate that Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will jointly approve the plans during the Anglo-French summit set for 8-10 July in London. EDF, the French state-backed developer behind the project, is seeking to reduce its current 16 per cent stake, opening the door to further private investors.

The initiative has attracted interest from several global backers, including Schroders Greencoat, Equitix, the Canadian pension fund CDPQ, Amber Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Asset Management, the UK pension fund USS and Rothesay, supported by the Singaporean infrastructure fund GIC. Notably, EDF’s original collaboration with China General Nuclear Power Corp was halted due to national security concerns raised by the UK government.

To date, Sizewell C has received £6.4 billion in government funding, with £2.5 billion allocated by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative administration and a further £3.9 billion from the current Labour government. However, the proposed financial framework underpinning the project has sparked controversy, with critics pointing to the burden that could fall on energy consumers. Under the new model, households may begin paying towards the plant’s construction costs—through energy bills—before the plant is operational. This approach differs from the model for Hinkley Point C, which will not generate revenue for EDF until electricity production begins.

Anti-nuclear campaigners have voiced concerns over the scale of the financial commitment. Critics, like Alison Downes from Stop Sizewell C, argue that government investments have created a situation where private investors receive what amounts to a blank cheque, while consumers shoulder the risks associated with construction delays and cost overruns.

Sizewell C’s approval would signify a major step forward in the UK’s broader nuclear strategy, yet it underscores ongoing tensions about the role consumers will play in financing the nation’s energy transition and whether large-scale nuclear projects are the most effective pathway forward.