The bright choice for your business

EDF Energy

"I am excited to be part of the Sizewell C project. I feel we have a real opportunity to secure low carbon electricity generation for the country, while creating jobs and business opportunities for people in Suffolk." - Tom McGarry, Communications Manager, Sizewell C power station project.

Sector: Energy

Location: Sizewell, near Leiston, Suffolk

Employs: 500 staff (including 50 apprentices, and 200+ contract partners at Sizewell B)

Contribution to local economy: £30 million (Sizewell B)

 

Nuclear power has an important role in meeting the UK’s future energy needs and plans to build a new power station in Suffolk will bring a major economic boost to the region.

EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, employing 15,000 people and generating one sixth of the country’s electricity. EDF Energy is the owner and operator of Sizewell B on the Suffolk coast.

Low carbon electricity has been generated by nuclear power plants in Suffolk for almost half a century, and the proposed Sizewell C station could provide electricity for a fifth of Britain’s homes, meeting over 6% of the UK’s electricity needs, while saving 12 million tonnes of C02 a year.

Sizewell B currently employs 500 staff and 250 permanent contractors. There are over 50 apprentices on the Sizewell B apprenticeship scheme. The station generates enough electricity for about 2 million homes or 3% of the UK’s electricity needs. Importantly, it will create up to 5,600 jobs at the peak of construction and employ around 900 people.

Public consultation began in November 2012 on plans to build a new Sizewell C station on land to the north of Sizewell B. The new power station would operate two UK EPR reactors. The proposed plant would require 5,600 people working on the site during construction and about 900 people employed at the plant throughout its 60 year operational life.

Tom McGarry is the Communications Manager of the Sizewell C power station project.

He explained: “The UK is facing a looming energy gap, with a large proportion of the country’s power stations due to be shut down in the next decade or so. We also have challenging targets to reduce our C02 emissions and keep electricity affordable for consumers. There is no single simple answer to this problem but we have to get the energy mix right. If we are to meet the challenge of producing clean, secure and affordable electricity, nuclear power has to be part of the solution.

“In these difficult economic times, we cannot ignore the major economic boost to the region that the new power station would provide. As well as secure employment opportunities in the future, we project that about £100 million will be pumped into the local economy during each year of the construction phase, with a further £40 million every year during its operational life.

“We’re doing a lot of work with Suffolk Chamber of Commerce to make sure that local companies make the most of the opportunity to be part of the Sizewell C supply chain. Nearly 700 East Anglian companies were involved with the construction of Sizewell B between 1987 and 1995 and Sizewell C could bring welcome opportunities for local companies again.”