France and the United Kingdom, hand in hand to build the Sizewell C EPR

On the sidelines of the first summit of the European political community, British Prime Minister Liz Truss and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their desire for close cooperation in the energy sector, especially on nuclear power. They also reiterated their support for the Sizewell C EPR project.

The summit of the European political community brought together 44 countries on 6 October 2022 in Prague. It is a new framework for cooperation to strengthen dialogue and cohesion among member countries in the context of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis. On the sidelines of this summit, France and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their willingness to cooperate in the energy sector, particularly nuclear power. As a reminder, two EPRs are currently under construction at Hinkley Point C, and the British government wants two more at Sizewell C.

“The energy transition and the disconnection from Russian hydrocarbons are common challenges. The Prime Minister and the President discussed the progress of bilateral cooperation, including on energy,” the joint statement said. “They reaffirmed their conviction that renewable energy and nuclear power are part of coherent strategies to achieve energy transition and strategic autonomy. They confirmed the full support of the British and French governments for the new Sizewell C nuclear power plant, and they expect the relevant entities to finalize the arrangements in the coming month.”

Toward the final investment decision

As a reminder, Sizewell C is a replica of the plant under construction at Hinkley Point C, i.e., a pair of EPRs. The project, led by EDF Energy, was validated by the British government on 20 July 2022. The final investment decision is expected soon.

In addition, “the leaders committed to advancing and increasing cooperation between the UK and France in civil nuclear power, including innovation, infrastructure development, and skills, ahead of next year’s Franco-British summit.