UK government has stated that there will not be a new nuclear facility at Sizewell C.
A new nuclear power plant in the southeast of England is not being considered, according to the government.
According to a UK government official, as ministers aim to reduce spending, “including Sizewell C,” every big project is being reviewed.
However, Downing Street dispelled the notion that the plant will now be delayed or reassessed on Friday.
However, it is anticipated that a new high-speed rail route in the north of England will be drastically reduced.
Critics claim Sizewell C will be expensive to build and take years to complete, despite the fact that it is anticipated to meet up to 7% of the UK’s overall electricity needs.
In the 2030s, the facility is not anticipated to start producing power. It would be challenging to eliminate Sizewell C, though, considering it was a pledge made in the 2019 manifesto.
The prime minister’s spokesperson said on Friday that talks with private companies over finance had been “productive” and that negotiations were still going on. He added that it was “hoped to get an agreement over the line as quickly as possible.”
At the Autumn Statement on November 17, the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the government’s tax and expenditure intentions.
The latest indication that recent undertakings by former Prime Minister Liz Truss were highly likely to be rolled back came from the new Business Secretary, Grant Shapps.
Ms. Truss promised to complete the construction of a significant rail project in northern England, with a high-speed link eventually connecting towns and cities from Hull to Liverpool through Bradford.
The Northern Powerhouse Rail rail line’s plans, however, are currently anticipated to be scaled back.
The commerce secretary said in an interview with the BBC that trips between Manchester and Leeds, for instance, have already been cut to 33 minutes, as promised in the Conservative party’s 2019 manifesto.
“Going and digging new tunnels across the Pennines wasn’t really necessary. It’s untrue to imply that we’re not doing what we promised to do about leveling the north, “added he.
Scaling back the rail route, however, presented “severe problems,” according to Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership lobby organization.
“Our economy continues to suffer from the poor transportation infrastructure in the North, which also discourages private investment.
“This option currently saves little to nothing for the Treasury. Since Northern Powerhouse Rail is still in the early stages of construction, the great bulk of the necessary investments will not be made during the current expenditure review period.
What is Sizewell C and where will it be?
Sizewell C, which is slated to be built by the French energy giant EDF on the coast of Suffolk, has received the “full support” of both Ms. Truss and President Emmanuel Macron of France, who made the pledge last month.
The plant received approval from the government in July. According to EDF, there would be enough energy to power nearly six million homes.
A major component of the UK government’s goal to lessen the reliance of the UK on fossil fuels has been the construction of new large-scale nuclear facilities. While serving as prime minister, Boris Johnson revealed his ambition to erect eight additional reactors over the following eight years.
A departure from that stance would signify a significant shift in the UK energy strategy.
In the summer, Mr. Sunak ran for the Conservative leadership and vowed to support Mr. Johnson’s initiative to construct eight additional reactors.
In an effort to achieve energy independence by 2045, he also argued in favor of changing the licensing laws to allow the UK government to build more nuclear units.
