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| Sizewell C nuclear plant gets £14.2bn government investment | Sizewell C nuclear plant gets £14.2bn government investment |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The government has said it will invest £14.2bn into the Sizewell C nuclear power plant | The government has said it will invest £14.2bn into the Sizewell C nuclear power plant |
| The government has committed £14.2bn of investment to build the new Sizewell C nuclear plant on the Suffolk coastline, ahead of the Spending Review. | The government has committed £14.2bn of investment to build the new Sizewell C nuclear plant on the Suffolk coastline, ahead of the Spending Review. |
| Sizewell C will create 10,000 direct jobs, thousands more in firms supplying the plant and generate enough energy to power six million homes, the Treasury said. | Sizewell C will create 10,000 direct jobs, thousands more in firms supplying the plant and generate enough energy to power six million homes, the Treasury said. |
| Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the "landmark decision" would "kickstart" economic growth, while Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the investment was necessary to usher in a "golden age of clean energy". | |
| However, Alison Downes, director of pressure group Stop Sizewell C, said ministers had not "come clean" about Sizewell C's cost, because "negotiations with private investors are incomplete". | However, Alison Downes, director of pressure group Stop Sizewell C, said ministers had not "come clean" about Sizewell C's cost, because "negotiations with private investors are incomplete". |
| Reeves said the facility would be the "biggest nuclear building programme in a generation". | Reeves said the facility would be the "biggest nuclear building programme in a generation". |
| Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the investment was the "only way" to "take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis". | Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the investment was the "only way" to "take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis". |
| The government insists that nuclear power provides enormous amounts of low-carbon, non-intermittent energy that forms a crucial part of the government's plans to almost completely eliminate fossil fuels from the UK's energy grid by 2030. | The government insists that nuclear power provides enormous amounts of low-carbon, non-intermittent energy that forms a crucial part of the government's plans to almost completely eliminate fossil fuels from the UK's energy grid by 2030. |
| However, Sizewell C will take at least a decade to complete. Hinkley Point C in Somerset, the other new plant of which Sizewell C is a copy, will switch on in the early 2030s - more than a decade late and costing billions more than originally planned. | However, Sizewell C will take at least a decade to complete. Hinkley Point C in Somerset, the other new plant of which Sizewell C is a copy, will switch on in the early 2030s - more than a decade late and costing billions more than originally planned. |
| Alison Downes of Stop Sizewell C condemned the government's announcement | Alison Downes of Stop Sizewell C condemned the government's announcement |
| In the 1990s, nuclear power generated about 25% of the UK's electricity. But that figure has fallen to about 15%, with all but one of the UK's existing nuclear fleet due to be decommissioned by 2030. | In the 1990s, nuclear power generated about 25% of the UK's electricity. But that figure has fallen to about 15%, with all but one of the UK's existing nuclear fleet due to be decommissioned by 2030. |
| The previous Conservative government backed the construction of Sizewell C in 2022. | The previous Conservative government backed the construction of Sizewell C in 2022. |
| Since then, Sizewell C has had other pots of funding confirmed by government, and in September 2023 a formal process to raise private investment was opened. | Since then, Sizewell C has had other pots of funding confirmed by government, and in September 2023 a formal process to raise private investment was opened. |
| Ministers and EDF - the French state-owned energy company that has a 15% stake in Sizewell C - have previously said there were plenty of potential investors and they were close to finalising an agreement on it. | Ministers and EDF - the French state-owned energy company that has a 15% stake in Sizewell C - have previously said there were plenty of potential investors and they were close to finalising an agreement on it. |
| The final investment decision on the funding model for the plant is due later this summer. | The final investment decision on the funding model for the plant is due later this summer. |
| The Sizewell C project has faced opposition at the local and national level from those who think it will prove to be a costly mistake. | The Sizewell C project has faced opposition at the local and national level from those who think it will prove to be a costly mistake. |
| Ms Downes said she believed the money could be spent on other priorities and feared the project would "add to consumer bills". | Ms Downes said she believed the money could be spent on other priorities and feared the project would "add to consumer bills". |
| "There still appears to be no final investment decision for Sizewell C but £14.2bn in taxpayers' funding, a decision we condemn and firmly believe the government will come to regret," she said. | "There still appears to be no final investment decision for Sizewell C but £14.2bn in taxpayers' funding, a decision we condemn and firmly believe the government will come to regret," she said. |
| "Starmer and Reeves have just signed up to HS2 mark 2," she added, referring to the railway project mired by years of budget disputes and delays. | "Starmer and Reeves have just signed up to HS2 mark 2," she added, referring to the railway project mired by years of budget disputes and delays. |
| Large areas of land have already been cleared in preparation for the building of Sizewell C | Large areas of land have already been cleared in preparation for the building of Sizewell C |
| On Saturday about 300 protesters demonstrated on Sizewell beach against the project, with many concerned about how the plant would change the area's environment. | On Saturday about 300 protesters demonstrated on Sizewell beach against the project, with many concerned about how the plant would change the area's environment. |
| The Sizewell C investment is the latest in a series of announcements in the run-up to the government's Spending Review, which will be unveiled on Wednesday. | The Sizewell C investment is the latest in a series of announcements in the run-up to the government's Spending Review, which will be unveiled on Wednesday. |
| The review will see the chancellor set out day-to-day spending and investment plans for each government department. | The review will see the chancellor set out day-to-day spending and investment plans for each government department. |
| A number of policies have already been announced, including the U-turn on winter fuel payments, a commitment to increase defence spending, and investment in the science and technology sector. | A number of policies have already been announced, including the U-turn on winter fuel payments, a commitment to increase defence spending, and investment in the science and technology sector. |
| Once operational, Sizewell C is expected to employ 900 people. | Once operational, Sizewell C is expected to employ 900 people. |
| As well as Sizewell C, the government said it was investing £2.5bn over five years into research and development for fusion energy and making investments into its defence nuclear sector. | As well as Sizewell C, the government said it was investing £2.5bn over five years into research and development for fusion energy and making investments into its defence nuclear sector. |
| This included development of HMNB Clyde and investment in Sheffield Forgemasters. | This included development of HMNB Clyde and investment in Sheffield Forgemasters. |
| Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. | Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. |