Today’s long awaited decision, following planning consent in July, has far-reaching energy implications.

It is envisaged the Suffolk plant could operate as part of an integrated renewables-come-CCUS-hub, with hydrogen playing a central role.

According to EDF, it is exploring how it can produce and use hydrogen in several ways. Firstly, it could help lower emissions during construction of the power station and secondly, once Sizewell C is operational, it hopes to use some of the heat it generates (alongside electricity) to make hydrogen more efficiently.

The hydrogen needed for Sizewell C construction could be powered by about <10 MW project to produce hydrogen potentially powered by electricity from neighbouring Sizewell B and / or renewables in the area.

To give an idea as to scale, a 2MW electrolyser could potentially produce up to 800kg of hydrogen per day (or c. 290,000 kgs per year), which can be further scaled up to meet demand.

Additionally, the production facility could also meet other requirements in the region such as transportation use, maritime decarbonisation and requirements of local authorities.

Nuclear currently provides around 15-20% of the UK’s electricity, however this share is due to fall because of retiring nuclear stations reaching the end of their working lives.

By the end of this decade, all but one of our existing fleet will be offline. With only one new plant in construction, Hinkley Point C, the country faces a short-term decline in clean generating capacity.

The Government announced it wanted “at least one” large-scale nuclear project to reach Final Investment Decision (FID) during this Parliament, before May 2024.