In a major move to reshape the UK’s energy future, the government has granted final approval for the £38 billion Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk. Signed off by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the decision gives Britain a 44.9% stake in the project, making it the first majority British-owned nuclear facility in more than 30 years.
The project, expected to provide electricity for six million homes for at least 60 years, forms a cornerstone of the UK’s plan to triple its nuclear output to 24 gigawatts by 2050. With two state-of-the-art European Pressurised Reactors delivering a combined 3.2 gigawatts of power, Sizewell C is being hailed as a keystone in the nation’s long-term energy security strategy.
The investment follows the government’s earlier £14.2 billion commitment in June and brings together a consortium of public and private investors. Canadian pension giant La Caisse will hold 20%, British energy company Centrica has committed to 15% (with a £1.3 billion cap), and Amber Infrastructure and EDF will hold 7.6% and 12.5% respectively. EDF’s reduced stake signals a shift toward domestic ownership, with the UK government now playing a leading role in the nation’s nuclear revival.
Centrica projects a 12% internal rate of return from the investment, while EDF’s contribution—up to £1.1 billion—will be made at the final investment decision. The plant is designed as a near-identical twin of the Hinkley Point C station currently under construction, a move expected to slash construction time and costs by up to 20%.
The project is set to generate 10,000 jobs at peak construction, including 1,500 apprenticeships and thousands more opportunities throughout the UK’s industrial supply chain. Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the approval “a powerful endorsement of the UK as the best place to do business and a global hub for nuclear energy.”
As Britain’s aging nuclear reactors face retirement by the early 2030s—with Sizewell B being the exception—Sizewell C signals a fresh chapter for British nuclear energy. “This is a golden age of new nuclear,” Miliband declared, underscoring the urgency of moving away from volatile fossil fuels.
With construction soon underway, Sizewell C stands as both a symbol and a solution—bolstering energy resilience, creating skilled jobs, and driving the UK toward a low-carbon future.