In light of the last few days record breaking heat, Sizewell C is needed in the fight against climate change and ensuring energy security. Yesterday’s announcement that the Sizewell C Project application has finally been given the green light is welcome news. After years of negotiation the Sizewell C Project application has been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.  Once built, Sizewell C will produce electricity for 6 million homes.

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, has welcomed the decision:

“This is a huge step forward for Britain’s energy security and net zero ambitions. Sizewell C will provide reliable low-carbon power for more than 80 years, cutting gas use, creating thousands of high-quality, skilled jobs, and long-term investment and opportunity up and down the country.

“Sizewell C will be one of the UK’s largest ever green energy projects, and this decision significantly strengthens the pipeline of new nuclear capacity in Britain.”

Sizewell C’s lifetime emissions, from the start of construction through to decommissioning, are broadly the same as other low carbon power sources like wind. By generating electricity from Sizewell C rather than by burning fossil fuels, it will prevent nine million tonnes of carbon being emitted into the atmosphere every year. This is important to Britain meeting its ambition to reduce carbon emissions to ‘Net Zero’ by 2050

Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, Managing Director for Sizewell C said. “By replacing fossil fuel power with low-carbon electricity which doesn’t depend on the weather, Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C will support the expansion of renewables in the UK and make a big contribution to lowering emissions to net-zero.”