The Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant being developed by Electricite de France (EDF) in Somerset is set to become the UK’s first new nuclear plant sine 1995. The project finally received development consent order from the UK Government in March 2013, and upon EDF making a final investment decision, which is expected by July 2014, construction will begin on the £16bn ($27bn) project.
Two generators will offset nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generate 3.2GWh of power. This is enough to meet the needs of nearly six million homes.
The plant is projected to produce 26TWh of electricity per year for 60 years, which will equal 7% of Great Britain’s forecasted electricity demand in the 2020s. The first unit of the plant should be operational in 2023. Around 25,000 construction and 900 permanent jobs will be created by the project.
It is anticipated that the nuclear plant construction will take more than ten years. Two reactors are expected to begin power generation in the next three years, between 2023 and 2025. Reactor 2 to come online a year and a half after the first reactor.
