Sizewell - Money
Posted: 15th September 2025
The government had no plans prepared for the Sizewell C site in Suffolk in
the event that the critical final investment decision (FID) for the scheme
was not achieved, NCE can reveal. The lack of a FID did not sop the
Government spending billions on the project. The FID was finally achieved
on 22 July 2025, with the project then projected to cost £38bn, up from the
original £20bn cost estimate, and with the government’s National Wealth
Fund providing £36.6bn of debt financing. NCE asked the Department for Net
Zero and Energy Security (DESNZ), using the Freedom of Information Act (FOI
Act), what plans it had for Sizewell C if the FID had not been achieved,
given the construction activities which had already been carried out.
Responding, DESNZ said: “The department did not prepare plans for the
Sizewell C site and associated areas were a final investment decision not
taken on Sizewell C.” Reacting to the disclosure under the FOI Act,
Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) spokesperson Chris Wilson told NCE:
“TASC know from previous engagement with DESNZ that they were fully aware
of the obligation to remediate for any damage caused by preparatory works
for Sizewell C should the project not proceed. “However, because of this
government’s reckless, gung-ho attitude to press ahead with Sizewell C’s
construction works regardless of the environmental damage and risk to the
public purse, it comes as no surprise to TASC that DESNZ had no management
plan nor financial budget to carry out remedial works should a FID not have
been made.” Stop Sizewell C executive director Alison Downes told NCE:
“The inference of DESNZ’s response is that there appears to have been no
consideration given to the possibility that Sizewell C would not go ahead.
New Civil Engineer 12th Feb 2025
https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/sizewell-c-government-had-no-plans-for-site-in-event-of-fid-failure-12-09-2025/