Reaction to UK Government investment in Hitachi’s Wylfa Project

5 June 2018: Greg Clark’s statement to Parliament on 4 June confirmed what EDF have told local campaigners; that there are intense discussions ongoing with the UK Government about the funding of new twin reactors at Sizewell. The announcement that the Government is prepared to take a multi-billion pound stake in Wylfa will naturally raise expectations that similar direct investment will be available to other new nuclear projects, despite the Secretary of State’s statement that private funding models are preferred. In recent months, EDF Chief Executive Simone Rossi has made it clear that “this must be the year” in which EDF determines the feasibility of its Sizewell project. Indeed such a demand has already been made by Barrow and Furness’ MP for the NuGen project at Moorside in Cumbria.

Charles Macdowell of the B1122 Action Group said: “We need urgent assurances that this change in government policy – to directly invest in new nuclear projects – will be accompanied by significant guarantees that local communities will be protected as much as possible from the negative environmental and social impact to which they will be exposed. Here in Suffolk that includes removing construction traffic from our country road, and dispersing accommodation for 2,400 construction workers.”

Paul Collins of TEAGS added: “EDF have repeatedly said that they expect to be able to slash the budget for building Sizewell C and D, and this raises serious concerns that the environmental impacts on this area of internationally protected habitats, surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will not be properly addressed. We note that Simone Rossi is visiting Suffolk at the end of June and repeat our request to meet with him and impress upon him the concerns we have for this tranquil and beautiful area.”