The United Kingdom is doubling its efforts to revive nuclear power

Like France, the United Kingdom is playing the nuclear card. In addition to renewable energies, the country, which closed its last coal-fired power plant in 2024, wants to decarbonize its electricity and ensure its energy sovereignty. Currently having nine nuclear reactors spread across five aging power plants, the British government is accelerating the construction of new reactors and wants to "open a new golden age [of] nuclear power," as it announced on July 22, giving its final green light to the construction of the Sizewell C power plant in Suffolk, at a cost of 38 billion pounds (43.9 billion euros).

The British government will provide almost the entire budget in the form of loans. Individuals will also contribute. Their energy bills will increase by approximately €1 each month during construction. The remainder will come from investors or manufacturers, including the French company EDF, which is in charge of the project, the Caisse (formerly the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec), and the British gas group Centrica.

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