A Nuclear Sector Deal worth over £200 million has been developed by the government with New Anglia LEP and others which holds out the prospect of significant job opportunities in the East of England as Sizewell C and Bradwell B in Essex take shape.
The deal signed by business and energy secrtary Greg Clark aims to promote growth in the nuclear supply chain through joint government and industry support for smaller companies to win higher value contracts and new markets. LEPs will play a key role in delivering support, with the East of England see as a national cluster of nuclear expertise. On skills, the deal involves regional apprenticeship pilots, action on STEM careers in nuclear, and looking at expanding the National College for Nuclear to the east of England.
The deal includes industry pledges to cut the cost of new nuclear build projects by 30 per cent and the cost of decommissioning old nuclear sites by 20 per cent by 2030. Doug Field, chair of New Anglia LEP, said: “A sector deal for the nuclear industry has the potential to bring great benefits to the East. The existing supply chain for Sizewell B means our businesses already have the expertise. The opportunities created by Sizewell C and Bradwell B will be enhanced by this deal, creating more high value jobs and investment in Suffolk and Norfolk and the wider eastern region…..Alongside our rapidly growing offshore wind industry, this deal puts us in a 
strong position to help the UK meet that challenge.”
Separately, Simone Rossi, chief executive of EDF Energy (right), told a Suffolk Chamber event last week that Sizewell C will boost the local economy by acting as a catalyst for top-end engineering, construction and manufacturing jobs, creating 100 apprenticeships during construction and contributing £4 billion into the economy over the lifetime of the project. www.sizewellcsupplychain.co.uk/
