EDF has applied to the Planning Inspectorate for a development consent order for its planned Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk.
It said the multi-billion-pound project was ready to “kick-start the economy” once Britain emergences from the coronavirus crisis.
The submission was delayed by two months in recognition of the “extraordinary circumstances” created by the pandemic.
EDF vowed to put “extra measures” in place to ensure local communities can properly scrutinise the plans, including extending the pre-examination period to give more time for interested parties to register with the Planning Inspectorate.
The Planning Inspectorate now has 28 days in which to decide whether to accept the application for examination. If accepted, members of the public will then have the opportunity to submit representations to the body as part of the pre-examination phase.
Although there is no statutory timescale, this stage of the process usually last around three months. EDF said it does not expect a full public examination to begin until the autumn.
The Planning Inspectorate will have up to six months to conduct an examination and a further three months in which to issue a recommendation to the secretary of state for energy. The energy secretary will have another three months in which to reach a final decision on consent.
EDF said the entire process usually lasts around 18 months from start to finish.
“Sizewell C is a net zero infrastructure project ready to kick-start the economy following the Coronavirus crisis,” said Sizewell C managing director Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson. “It will offer thousands of high-quality job opportunities and long-term employment for people living in Suffolk and it will strengthen the nuclear supply chain across the country.”
“On top of the economic benefits, Sizewell C will avoid 9 million tonnes of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere each year. The project will play a key role in lowering emissions while helping the UK keep control of its low carbon future.”
EDF said Sizewell C will be a “near replica” of its sister project – Hinkley Point C in Somerset – and claimed that copying the design will allow it to cut construction costs by a fifth. It said the savings will be maximised if construction work on the 3.2GW power station begins in late 2021 or early 2022.
It said costs could also be reduced further using a novel financing mechanism such as the regulatory asset base model proposed by the government last year.
When EDF gave the go-ahead to Hinkley in 2016, the plant was expected to cost £18 billion to build. However, the company has since raised its estimate twice – first to between £19.6 billion and £20.3 billion and later to between £21.5 billion and £22.5 billion.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, EDF sent home more than half of the on-site workforce for Hinkley Point C in March, reducing the headcount from 4,500 to 2,000. After introducing measures to limit social interactions, such as split shifts and staggered breaks, the company returned around 500 workers to the site earlier this month.