Sizewell C named as contributing to energy price cap rise

Posted: 23rd November 2025

Ofgem’s announcement this morning, of an “unexpected” rise in the energy price cap, attributed the increase in part to Sizewell C. Read here, the notes say “The price cap change is driven by government policy costs and operating costs. This includes funding government’s Sizewell C nuclear project (around £1 per month)”. Some media, including The Times and the BBC picked this up and on this morning’s Today programme Martin Lewis called for policy costs to be paid by taxpayers rather than through energy bills (listen from just after 2hrs 35m: we’ve just sent him some background).
£1/month is an average for a typical dual-fuel household.

We put out a media reaction to draw attention to Sizewell C’s role in the rise of the energy price cap and to highlight Ministers’ continued refusal (as shared in our last email) to publicly state Sizewell C’s expected completion date. Given that we are paying via our energy bills – as well as via our taxes – throughout construction, don’t we have the right to know how long it will take?

Meeting with new Nuclear Minister
We pressed the new Nuclear Minister, Lord Patrick Vallance, for Sizewell C’s completion date at a meeting of the DESNZ Nuclear NGO Forum this week. We and TASC asked the Minister to come to Suffolk and witness the effects of Sizewell C – and other energy projects – and to try and stop the Prime Minister and Chancellor’s use of such inflammatory language as “blockers” “NIMBYs” and “ripping up the nuclear red tape”.

NGOs also expressed concern about the new National Policy Statement on the siting of nuclear reactors, EN-7. The government recently published its response to the latest consultation on EN-7 and are concerned that some “exclusionary” siting criteria have been downgraded to “discretionary”, but at least the government proposes to retain a ban on siting reactors in urban locations, which the Nuclear Industry Association slammed as a “missed opportunity”. Read more via New Civil Engineer.

Daniel Ruffles Exhibition in Leiston
Photographer Daniel Ruffles is showing his pictures, which highlight Sizewell C’s construction in a National Landscape (AONB), until 30 November at the Atelier Gallery at 44 Leiston High Street, open Thursday to Sunday 11-4pm. A number of you responded to a request we made on Daniel’s behalf to fill in a questionnaire about your views on Sizewell C and he takes very striking pictures – see example above. Do drop in and support his exhibition if you can!

Construction impacts: Essex & Suffolk Water consultations, beach and road closures
We are still reading the documentation for Essex & Suffolk Water’s consultations and discussing them internally and with local Parish Councils. There is a drop-in about the Sizewell C pipeline (and other water proposals) in Leiston tomorrow, Saturday 22 November, 1-7.30pm Leiston Community Centre and – thanks to your letters – a new date is being arranged in Saxmundham (tbc). We will share recommendations ahead of the closing date of 11.59pm on 10 December.

Meanwhile, Sizewell C has announced that the northern part of Sizewell beach will close during the week from January to the end March 2026, for construction of the Marine Bulk Import Facility. The coastal footpath will divert – at some additional length – inland during the weekday closure. Details here.
Sizewell C has also just published this update on road closures and traffic management in Suffolk.

Thank you for your continued support,

Alison & Paul,

Alison Downes, Executive Director
Paul Collins, Chair, Stop Sizewell C