Britain used to be good at building nuclear power stations. Really good. We built the world’s first – and then another ten within a decade for good measure. As late as 1965, Britain had more nuclear power stations than the rest of the world combined.
Britain used to be good at building nuclear power stations. We aren’t anymore. We haven’t finished one in three decades. And the one we are building is set to be, by some distance, the most expensive nuclear power station ever constructed.
There is one area, however, where Britain is still world-leading: consultation. Between 2014 and 2022, there were no fewer than seven public consultations for the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station. In fact, there were eight years between Sizewell C’s very first consultation (in 2012) and EDF actually applying for planning permission. (Sizewell C is still awaiting final sign-off from the Treasury.)
Electricité de France is, as the name suggests, a French company.
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