The site will cease operations in 2055 following the agreement.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has confirmed the Sizewell B nuclear power station, Suffolk, has been given a 20 year operational extension and an expansion of the facility. This means the site, which is owed by EDF, will continue to contribute to the UK’s clean energy offering.
Currently, Sizewell B provides around 3% of the UK’s total electricity needs, enough to power some 2.5 million homes and helping protect bill-payers from unexpected price hikes that could cause big problems for their domestic utility bills. The news will help support around 900 skilled nuclear jobs.
‘Sizewell B is a vital part of Britain’s energy future, and this agreement secures clean, homegrown power for millions of homes until 2055,’ said Rachel Reeves, Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer. ‘It is also a real vote of confidence in the hundreds of skilled workers in Suffolk who will power Britain’s clean energy future, delivering the long-term certainty that businesses and workers need.’
‘The Government’s decision to extend operation of Sizewell B until 2055 is indicative of a much welcome renewal of interest in nuclear power in the UK. While much of the commentary will likely focus on broader energy policy, there is also an interesting innovation story.’
‘The Government’s decision to extend operation of Sizewell B until 2055 is indicative of a much welcome renewal of interest in nuclear power in the UK,’ addedGiles Pinnington, Chartered UK Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney atleading intellectual property law firm Marks & Clerk. ‘While much of the commentary will likely focus on broader energy policy, there is also an interesting innovation story.’
Image: Lukáš Lehotský / Unsplash
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