Sizewell C nuclear power plant will be the last new nuclear power project organised by the Government for a long time. This is assuming it does actually go ahead at great expense to the taxpayer and electricity consumer.
Recent announcements have implied that plans for new nuclear plant touted for Wylfa in Angelsey (see HERE) and West Cumbria (see HERE) will not go ahead. In fact, this strategy has long been trailed by the National Infrastructure Commission itself who has long advised against further nuclear power plant after Sizewell C, most recently in September 2021 (see HERE). Rishi Sunak disagreed with Boris Johnson’s notions of building 24 GW of nuclear power by 2050. You can see why, on account of the ruinous expenses that come with building Sizewell C.
Sizewell C is going to be ruinous in itself. £7.5 Billion of taxpayers money has already been allocated as support for Sizewell C. I discussed this (HERE). In fact, we shall be paying three times for Sizewell C. First, several billion pounds (as discussed already and possibly more) directly from the taxpayer. Second time will be interest payments on loans borrowed during the construction of Sizewell C. This will be paid during construction. Third time will be when the power station eventually starts generating and electricity consumers will have to repay the loans taken out to finance Sizewell C. The interest payments and, later, the loan repayments will be a lot higher than officially acknowledged because of the inevitable cost-overruns that come with building nuclear power stations.
By contrast, the new renewable energy schemes that have been announced, a few days ago, will generate electricity that may be no more expensive than the prevailing (wholesale) price of electricity. It is difficult to say when Sizewell C will be online. EDF may say they will start construction on Sizewell C soon, but the staff will be engaged with compeleting Hinkley C for a long time to come. Consequently Sizewell C is unlikely to be operating before 2040. When Sizewell C comes online, after 2040, nuclear power will be generating around 12 per cent of UK electricity supply.
As far as I can see any new nuclear build is a glorious waste of money and time.