WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols recently visited the development site of Sizewell C, a new nuclear power station being built adjacent to the existing Sizewell B, both located in Suffolk.
Sizewell C will supply 6 million homes with low-carbon electricity and will play a key role in the energy transition and will be one of the biggest clean energy projects in the UK.
Ms. Nichols has supported the power plant project on the basis that it would bring millions of pounds of investment and new jobs to the established Warrington nuclear industry. She visited the Suffolk coast herself to reflect on the progress of Sizewell C, having officially began its formal construction in January 2024.
Ms Nichols said: “As the Sizewell C Final Investment Decision was signed off just before we headed off for summer Recess, it was a real treat to visit to see the works that have begun with the Nuclear APPG earlier this week, and to do a tour of the Sizewell B station next door.
“Sizewell B generates about 3% of the UK’s electricity, powering 2.5m homes, and will be the last operational plant in the country as the AGR fleet begin their decommissioning and before Hinkley Point C comes online. As the newest station, and with a PWR reactor, while the site is currently scheduled for decommissioning in 2035 conversations are underway about a lifetime extension to 2055.
“Together Sizewell B, Sizewell C and Hinkley Point C will provide around 18% of the UK’s electricity, ensuring our energy security, and supporting thousands of jobs in Warrington North in the nuclear sector throughout the lifetime of the plants.”
Ms Nichols and the Labour Government continue to support clean, nuclear energy projects like Sizewell C and B, as part of the Great British Energy mission. This mission aims to make Britain a clean energy superpower to cut bills for good, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero. Both Sizewell B and C are important components of the UK’s efforts to transition to a low-carbon energy system, as they are intended to complement renewable energy sources by providing reliable, baseload electricity supply.
The price of gas is up to nine times higher than that of renewables, as proven in the Summer of 2023, and it has remained significantly higher since. Therefore, the Government’s plan for a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030 will lower bills by continuing to mobilise the talents and efforts of British workers, businesses and entrepreneurs, to further progress renewable energy sources nationally.
For more details about Sizewell C, visit their website: A New Nuclear Power Station for Britain – Sizewell C
