George King, 13 October 2025

The team behind the Sizewell C nuclear power plant, set to be built near Leiston in Suffolk, has signed two landmark low-carbon fuel agreements, which project leaders are calling "a defining moment" for the UK's energy security.

Sizewell C has secured a six-year uranium supply contract with Urenco, along with a long-term fuel fabrication agreement with Framatome. Urenco will provide natural uranium, which will then be enriched at its facility in Chester. Following this, Framatome will convert the enriched uranium into fuel pellets, which are used to form fuel assemblies for the plant’s reactors.

These partnerships are expected to create and sustain thousands of jobs within the nuclear industry while reducing the plant’s dependence on imported fuel.

Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, the joint managing directors of Sizewell C, expressed their excitement, stating: "These two contracts are pivotal moments for Sizewell C and for the future of energy security in the UK. The fuel for our reactors will be low-carbon and primarily sourced from Britain, produced by skilled local workers. This marks a new approach to infrastructure and places the UK’s energy security and nuclear supply chain on much stronger footing."

With an estimated cost of £38 billion, Sizewell C will provide electricity to up to six million homes for over 60 years, with operations expected to begin in the 2030s. The project is expected to directly create 10,000 jobs, as well as thousands more across the supply chain, including 1,500 apprenticeships.

Notably, around 1,000 of these jobs will be based at Urenco’s uranium enrichment site in Capenhurst, near Chester. Meanwhile, the partnership with Framatome will initially see fuel fabrication taking place at its factory in Romans, France, until a new UK-based facility is completed, further contributing to job creation.

Sizewell C has also emphasized that 90% of the project’s total construction value will be delivered to UK businesses, bolstering the nation's economy.

Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear, praised the government’s support for Sizewell C as part of the “new golden age of nuclear.” He added: "These contracts not only reduce our reliance on imported fuel but also support 1,000 highly skilled jobs and bring vital investment into Cheshire. Our clean energy agenda is about enhancing energy security while building robust, homegrown supply chains to boost jobs and economic growth."

This move marks a significant step forward in strengthening the UK's energy infrastructure and ensuring long-term sustainability for the nation’s power needs.