A new British industrial consortium is calling on the Government to back Sizewell C, the proposed new nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast.
- Thirty-two major companies and organisations, including trades unions and nuclear supply chain businesses, call on government to back Sizewell C
- Consortium intends to sign MOUs with UK regions and for 70% of construction value to go to UK companies
- ‘Shovel ready’ project will deliver 25,000 job opportunities and 1000 apprenticeships
- Project will boost post COVID-19 recovery by injecting billions into the UK’s green economy and net zero ambition
- Consortium warns that without Government backing for Sizewell C soon, thousands of jobs in the nuclear supply chain are at risk
Thirty-two companies and organisations from all regions of the UK, including some of the UK’s biggest firms supporting clean energy, have come together to urge the Government to give the major infrastructure project the green light.
The Sizewell C Consortium includes Assystem; Atkins; Balfour Beatty Bailey; Bilfinger; Cavendish Nuclear; Doosan Babcock; EDF; Jacobs; Laing O’Rourke; Mott MacDonald; Mace, as well as host of smaller businesses. It is also backed by some of the country’s biggest trade unions including the GMB, the Unite Union and Prospect.
The Consortium believes Sizewell C is a pre-packed stimulus project that will provide a major economic boost for the UK and set the country on the road to a green recovery.
The Consortium intends to sign memorandums of understanding (MoU) with regions across the UK to guarantee British jobs and investment in the building of Sizewell C. Up to 70% of contracts for Sizewell C will go to British-based businesses, securing the future of the nuclear supply chain and creating tens of thousands of jobs across the UK.
Sizewell C will provide 3.2GW of always-on clean energy, enough to power 6 million homes. The planning application for the project was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate last month. As a replica of Hinkley Point C in Somerset, Sizewell C is expected to benefit from significant savings in construction costs. Early works, involving contracts worth up to £300m, could begin this year.
Approval of the project would be a major boost for the UK nuclear sector, which directly provides more than 60,000 highly skilled jobs, with another 160,000 jobs sustained across the wider supply chain.
However, without Government backing for Sizewell C soon, thousands of these jobs will be lost, which would seriously undermine the UK’s nuclear delivery capability.
Cameron Gilmour, Spokesperson for the Sizewell C Consortium said:
‘Britain has built a world beating nuclear industry supply chain which supports thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK. The Sizewell C supply chain is ready and willing to help government with the green economic recovery. A firm commitment on the future of Sizewell C will help sustain the nuclear supply chain and can deliver significant benefits to the UK’s low carbon economic prosperity’
A joint statement by GMB, Prospect and Unite said:
‘If the Government is serious about levelling up the regions and meeting net zero then it needs to support Sizewell C and the nuclear supply chain. There are few infrastructure projects of this scale that are ready to go and which can provide an immediate Post COVID-19 boost for jobs locally and nationally, including up to a thousand apprenticeships for young talent’.
Gareth Davies, Suffolk Chamber’s head of Sizewell C supply chain engagement:
The Sizewell C Consortium is an excellent initiative and I encourage Suffolk based companies to join. To bring forward Sizewell C, and to provide the opportunities for businesses such as yours, we would encourage you to put your company name to the cause.
The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce is keen to ensure that the local face is well represented within the consortium and visible to government. The consortium also provides an excellent opportunity to engage in working groups and build your own networks.
It is free to become a member. All you need to do is email membership@sizewellcconsortium.com in order to register.
You can find out more at www.sizewellcconsortium.com and support the campaign on Twitter and LinkedIn