nuclear-news

UK govt to pour another £170million of taxpayers’ cash into planned Sizewell C nuclear plant: is it value for money?

The government is to plough another £170million of taxpayers’ cash into the
proposed Sizewell C nuclear plant. The Department for Energy Security and
Net Zero said the cash was in addition to the £679 million the government
invested in the Suffolk power station late last year, when it took joint
control of the project with EDF, of France.

Last year’s investment included about £100 million to buy China General Nuclear out of its 20 per cent stake. EDF said: “This is another big endorsement and will put us in an
even stronger position to begin full construction.” The government said
the money would be used “to prepare the Sizewell C site for future
construction, procure key components from the project’s supply chain and
expand its workforce”. It said it was “previously allocated funding for
development work”.

The government pledged in the budget in 2021 to
provide up to £1.7 billion “to enable a final investment decision in a
large-scale nuclear project this parliament”.

Stop Sizewell C, a campaign group, said: “It sticks in the throat to see ministers splashing more taxpayers’ cash months before a final investment decision, while maintaining total secrecy about whether Sizewell C can achieve value for money.”

Times 25th July 2023

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cash-boost-for-construction-of-sizewell-c-nuclear-plant-rg6rr5slv

July 27, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, politics, UK