Background
Sizewell C is a planned large-scale nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. It will have a generating capacity of 3.2GW, meaning it will be able to generate around 7% of the UK’s current electricity demand. Sizewell C will be an above-ground copy of Hinkley Point C, which is currently being built in Somerset. In 2017, we reported on Hinkley Point C, looking at the deal that the then government signed with energy company EDF to deliver it.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced the government’s decision to invest in the project, subject to final completion of agreements with private investors and EDF. The government will be a shareholder in the project and expects to spend £14.2 billion on Sizewell C between 2025-26 and 2029-30.
Scope
The study will support transparency and Parliamentary scrutiny of a strategically important but complex long-term project, with inherent risks to the cost and time of its delivery. The study will consider:
- DESNZ’s work and spending on Sizewell C to date
- the terms of the deal agreed and whether this provides value for money for taxpayers and consumers
- remaining risks to value for money that DESNZ will need to manage
NAO team
Director: Joshua Reddaway
Audit Manager: Mark Bisset