Shapps announces Sizewell C nuclear plant is going ahead creating 10,000 jobs

But while Chinese involvement in the project is ending, the campaign group Stop Sizewell C argues that the project will not truly put Britain on a path to energy independence.

The campaign group said: “Sizewell C can neither lower energy bills nor give the UK energy independence. Despite the government’s paltry £700million, there is still a huge amount of money to find, and no one is prepared to come clean about what the ultimate cost will be. 

“Its only chance of securing finance is if the Government bribes private investors by foisting the huge cost and inevitable overruns of this lengthy and technically flawed project onto consumers, by adding an extra ‘nuclear tax’ on energy bills. But Sizewell C may have to rely on overseas investors who would pocket UK households’ hard-earned cash. With a French developer, overseas owners and foreign uranium fuel, the claim of energy ‘freedom’ looks pretty hollow.”

Last month, nuclear expert Prof Paul Dorfman from Sussex University warned that like gas, Russia also has a tight grip on uranium supplies -which is used to fuel nuclear reactors. 

He said: “Putin, Russia and Russia-controlled Kazakhstan supply 42 percent of all uranium of all reactors worldwide.” But he added: “20 percent for the EU, 14 percent of the US and nearly 30 percent of their enrichment services. The UK is different. We get our uranium from Australia and Canada and we don’t rely on Russia so we are ok.”

Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1703096/Grant-Shapps-Sizewell-C-nuclear-plant-parliament-jobs