2 min read - 23 Jul, 2025
Sizewell C gets green light with final investment decision
Sizewell C has secured its final investment decision from the UK government, unlocking the largest investment in clean, homegrown energy in a generation and marking a significant step in delivering secure, cheaper, low-carbon electricity for the UK.
No new nuclear plant has opened in the UK since 1995, with all of the existing fleet except Sizewell B likely to be phased out by the early 2030s. Once online, Sizewell C will supply electricity to the equivalent of six million homes for at least 60 years and directly support 10,000 jobs at peak construction.
The project will be delivered at a capital cost of around £38bn. For the first time, the British public will be co-owners of a British nuclear power station, with the government the largest shareholder in the project with a 44.9 per cent stake. Additional Sizewell C shareholders include La Caisse with a 20 per cent stake, Centrica with 15 per cent, EDF with 12.5 per cent, and Amber Infrastructure with 7.6 per cent.
For an average of £1 per household per month paid during construction, the investment in Sizewell C could deliver savings of £2bn a year across the British electricity system.
The Sizewell C nuclear plant has been given the green light by UK government, in a project costing £38bn / Picture: EDF Energy
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Under the terms of the deal, investors, contractors, and project managers are incentivised to deliver the project early and at the lowest cost possible. The figure also includes contingencies and excludes potential cost offsets from asset sales or other opportunities. Sizewell C also benefits from the experience of its sister plant, Hinkley Point C, where construction of elements of the second unit have been running 50% faster than the first. The lessons from Hinkley will be applied directly to Sizewell C.
Julia Pyke, joint managing director of Sizewell C, said: “Our plan is to deliver Sizewell C at a capital cost of around £38bn. Our estimate is the result of very detailed scrutiny of costs at Hinkley Point C and long negotiations with our suppliers. It has been subject to third-party peer review and has been scrutinised by investors and lenders and has been subject to extensive due diligence as part of the financing process. A capital cost of £38bn represents around 20% saving compared with Hinkley Point C and demonstrates the value of the UK’s fleet approach.”
Nigel Cann, joint managing director of Sizewell C, added: “Any infrastructure project of this scale will face risks and potentially disruptive events outside of its control, as well as opportunities to reduce costs. Our supply chain is strongly incentivised to keep costs down and our investors will lose potential revenue if there are overruns.”
Construction is already underway on the site in Suffolk, with over £330m in contracts signed with local businesses. At its peak, the project will directly support 10,000 jobs, with up to 60,000 more in the supply chain, and create 1,500 apprenticeships. Around 70% of the project’s spend is expected to be allocated to UK companies.
Sizewell C marks a significant step in building a fleet of large and small nuclear plants across the country, and complements Britain’s growing portfolio of renewables and clean energy technologies.
