22 Hinkley Point C
HINKLEY POINT C
The first new nuclear power station to be built in the UK in over 20 years ; Hinkley Point C in Somerset will provide low-carbon electricity for around 6 million homes , create thousands of jobs and bring lasting benefits to the UK economy .
Construction and operation of Hinkley Point C will create 25,000 employment opportunities , up to 1,000 apprenticeships and 64 % of the project ’ s construction value is predicted to go to UK companies .
Marking a significant milestone in the revitalisation of our nuclear power industry , Hinkley Point C will make a major contribution to the UK ’ s move to reduce carbon emissions . The electricity generated by its two EPR reactors will offset 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year , or 600 million tonnes over its 60-year lifespan .
The Secretary of State for Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy has recently been in Somerset , seeing how work is progressing at Hinkley Point C .
Kwasi Kwarteng MP toured Europe ’ s largest construction site with the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury , Helen Whately MP . The Chief Executive of EDF , Jean-Bernard Levy , accompanied the Ministers as they were shown around by the team building the UK ’ s first new nuclear power station in a generation .
The visit follows government commitments to new nuclear set out in the Energy White Paper , and passage through the House of Commons this week of the Nuclear Financing Bill , which will help lower the costs of building new nuclear such as Sizewell C . The Government has committed to putting nuclear at the heart of the UK ’ s future energy mix , along with wind and solar .