Sizewell C nuclear power station
Sizewell C nuclear power station is a proposed project to construct a 3,200MWe nuclear power station with two EPR reactors in Suffolk, England. The project has been proposed by a consortium of EDF Energy and China General Nuclear Power Group, which own 80% and 20% of the project respectively. The power station is expected to meet 7% of the UK's demand when it comes into service. The project is expected to be commenced before 2024, with construction taking between nine and twelve years, depending on developments at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station  which is also being developed by EDF Energy, and which shares major similarities with the Sizewell plant. History. In 2008 the government decided that new nuclear sites should be constructed on existing sites to replace the UK's ageing fleet of reactors. In 2010 the government revealed that the Sizewell power station site was one of the eight locations that it intended to allow the development to occur at. Following this, EDF Energy put forward proposals for the Sizewell site in November 2012, where it planned to construct two EPR reactors. In 2015, as a part of the government's  strategy to open the UK up to China, it was reported that after talks with China agreements had been made to develop three nuclear power plants including Sizewell C, Hinkley Point C and Bradwell B; however, agreements had not yet been made over financing the Sizewell project, with the final agreement likely to be made after the construction of Hinkley Point C had started. On 21 October 2015 EDF Energy announced that it had 'agreed the Heads of Terms of a wider UK partnership for the joint development of new nuclear power stations at Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in  Essex' with China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN). At the same time, EDF Energy also announced that it 'will take an 80% share and CGN will take a 20% share' during the development phase of the project. Following extensive consultation with the local community, on 27 May 2020 EDF Energy announced that it had submitted a development consent order application. EDF stated that 25,000 job opportunities would be created and targeted 70% of the investment to be spent in UK. The plant would largely replicate the Hinkley Point C design to reuse experience and attempt to lower costs. In June  2020 EDF had yet to organise financing, and could not take on more construction risk in the UK. EDF was looking to the UK government to assist with financing either by offering a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model used on less risky infrastructure, though that puts an immediate cost burden on end consumers, or with other approaches such as a government equity stake in the development. On 30 June 2020 EDF Energy announced that it had applied to the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) for a licence to build and operate Sizewell C. The ONR is responsible for the safe  operation of nuclear sites in the UK and for permitting new nuclear site licencesone of the key regulatory requirements for building and operating a new power station. On 11 September 2020 Suffolk county council said that it could not support the plans for the construction of Sizewell C in its current form, with the council saying on 23 October 2020 that the plans "do not go far enough" to mitigate the impact on the local community and on the local environment. The council said that a lack of support for the project was not the issue, and that it is  that EDF "simply does not appropriately and sensitively address the impacts on our communities and the environment". EDF responded by submitting significant changes to the project which aimed to significantly reduce the number of Heavy Goods Vehicles delivering the materials required for the project by having them delivered by train and sea instead. The plans also proposed to increase the amount of land for the creation of fen meadow to help increase the net gain of biodiversity following the completion of the project. A consultation period began on 16 November 2020, which lasted for 30 days and which will inform  all of the stakeholders in the project about the proposals. On 31 October 2020 the BBC claimed that the government was 'close' to giving the project the green light following intensified talks with EDF, with government officials insisting that it "remains committed to new nuclear" following the withdrawal of Horizon from Wylfa and Oldbury. The BBC also reported that the government had increased its interest in taking a stake in the project following work on the second reactor at Hinkley Point C being completed 30% faster than the first reactor, which 'is thought to have substantially mitigated' the risk in  taking a stake in the project. On 14 December 2020 the UK government published an energy white paper setting out its plans to "transition to net zero", and announced the start of negotiations with EDF, with a view to starting investment on "at least one" new power station before the end of the current parliament in 2024. CGN is thought to be planning to withdraw from the project. Construction. The Sizewell C project is expected to take between nine and twelve years to construct and commission. EDF expects significant time and cost savings compared to the near-identical sister plant , Hinkley Point C. As a point of reference, construction of unit 2 at Hinkley Point has progressed at a much faster rate than unit 1, and EDF hopes to achieve similar economies at Sizewell C. However, the projected construction cost of £20 billion for Sizewell C when the application for a nuclear site licence was submitted in 2020 is 25% higher than the £16 billion that were projected for Hinkley Point C at a similar stage of the planning process in 2012, raising doubts about EDF's claim. Financing. The Sizewell C project is expected to cost £ 20billion. The project is being led by EDF Energy and CGN, which own 80% and 20% of the project, respectively. EDF is looking to the UK government to assist with financing either by offering a Regulated Asset Base model, though that puts an immediate cost burden on end consumers, or with other approaches such as a government equity stake in the development, as the company is unwilling to take on further risk within the UK. On 30 June 2020, EDF announced that it had applied to the Office for Nuclear Regulation for a licence to build and operate Sizewell C.  On 14 July 2020, 32 companies and organisations from the UK nuclear supply chain formed a consortium to encourage the government to support the state-guaranteed financing model for Sizewell C, Regulated Asset Base, which the consortium says would reduce the cost of new nuclear projects by having consumers pay the cost upfront through their energy bills. On 30 September 2020, Jean-Bernard Lévy, EDF's chairman and CEO, demanded that the Treasury provided clarity on the future of nuclear funding following Hitachi's withdrawal from the Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station project which was set to cost £20billion , citing a lack of viable funding. On 14 December 2020, following the release of the UK government's long-awaited energy white paper, the government announced that it had started consultations with EDF to take a stake in the project following concerns that CGN is backing out of the project, which would leave a financing gap. The government also warned that any stake in the project would be 'subject to approval on areas such as value for money and affordability' with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, saying, "We are starting negotiations with EDF , it is not a green light on the construction". In January 2022, the UK government invested £100million towards continued development of the project. In March 2022, it was announced that the UK government and EDF would each take a 20% stake in the project, with infrastructure investors and pension funds expected to take up the remaining 60%. Criticism and opposition. Together Against Sizewell C. One group that is against the construction of the plant is called Together Against Sizewell C (TASC), an unincorporated group. Some of the group's main arguments against the development are as follows: TASC sought  a judicial review of the East Suffolk Council's decision to grant planning permission in September 2019 for preparatory works on the site, which would involve the felling of 229 trees as well as the demolition of buildings on the Sizewell B site. The group claimed that the decision was unlawful and that proper investigations into the potential scale of environmental damage had not occurred. The bid to block the works were brought forwards by a local resident, Joan Girling, on behalf of TASC to the High Court. The court heard the case on 8 September 2020, and ruled that  the habitat loss would be "minor" and "not significant". Mr Justice Holgate rejected the attempt to block the works, and said that he "did not accept East Suffolk Council acted irrationally". An EDF spokesperson responded to the rulings by saying that "The judge acknowledged the robust nature of the report provided by East Suffolk Council regarding the environmental impact of the work. The report, which was informed by the council arboriculturist, found that the majority (73%) of the 229 trees that need to be removed from Coronation Wood are low quality plantation wood with a limited life expectancy and limited  amenity value. It was judged that this loss would be 'balanced' by the planting of over 2,500 juvenile woodland trees, including a mixture of broadleaf and coniferous species appropriate for the prevailing soil and coastal conditions." On 6 October 2020, TASC and the Stop Sizewell C group delivered a petition with over 10,400 signatures to Downing Street, the Treasury and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, calling for the government to stop Sizewell C as the plans would be costly, risky and would not positively contribute to net zero until 2040. Stop Sizewell C. Stop Sizewell C is  the campaign name of Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group (TEAGS). TEAGS was formed in 2013 by representatives of the Suffolk parish of Theberton and Eastbridge, which neighbours the proposed Sizewell C construction site, in order to give a voice to the community. TEAGS did not initially oppose Sizewell C, but after eight years of engagement with EDF and other stakeholders, the group changed its name to Stop Sizewell C. Concerns over Chinese involvement. Concerns have been expressed regarding one of the shareholders in the consortium, CGN, which is owned by the Chinese government and has been blacklisted by the United  States Department of Commerce for attempting to acquire advanced U.S. nuclear technology and material for diversion to military use. In September 2020, following Hitachi's decision to withdraw from the Wylfa and Oldbury projects, the BBC reported that the UK government was looking to replace CGN as an investor and might take a stake in Sizewell C.