Sizewell B, one of the UK’s largest, most powerful and most efficient nuclear power plants, has received a ‘life extension’ of 20 years.
The EDF-operated facility has been operational since 1995 and had been scheduled for closure in 2035, in keeping with the general 40-year lifespan of nuclear plants.
However, the French energy giant and the UK Government have agreed to keep the site running until 2055 after Westminster offered EDF a fixed, subsidised price for its future output of electricity.
Tom Greatrex, the CEO of the UK’s Nuclear Industry Association, points out the significance of this moment.
“Sizewell B is the cleanest, most productive and most reliable plant in the whole country, so extending its life is one of the best things we can do to build an affordable and reliable clean power system,” he says.
