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EDF Energy received on January 12 the second reactor pressure vessel that will be welded at Hinkley Point C, the first third-generation nuclear power plant in the UK, with a total capacity of 3,260 megawatts and a cost already recalculated to £35 billion in 2015 prices or about £48 billion in 2026 conversion.
The Hinkley Point C plant is under construction in Somerset, in the southwest of England, next to a decommissioned nuclear plant.
According to EDF Energy, the delivery of the first unit has been delayed to 2030.
According to EDF, the delay stems from problems in electromechanical equipment identified in February 2026.
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In comparison, the initial plan foresaw the start of operation in 2025.
Therefore, the budget rose from £18 billion (in original values) to the current £35 billion.
Subsequently, in January 2026, the company announced the receipt of the second reactor pressure vessel for unit 2.
The Hinkley Point C plant will generate 3,260 megawatts in two EPR units
Each EPR (European Pressurised Reactor) unit has a capacity of 1,630 megawatts.
According to EDF, together the two units will supply 6 million British homes.
According to official data, the steam generator weighs 500 tons and is 25 meters high.
Firstly, the EPR technology is the same used in the Olkiluoto 3 unit in Finland, in operation since 2023.
Secondly, the Hinkley EPR will operate for 60 years without heavy maintenance.
Therefore, the plant represents about 7% of the British electricity demand at peak times.
The cost of the Hinkley Point C plant rose to £35 billion in 2015 prices
According to EDF, the final total cost is estimated at £35 billion in 2015 prices.
In comparison, the inflation-adjusted cost reaches £48 billion in 2026.
According to analysts, Hinkley Point C became 12 times more expensive than the global average per installed megawatt.
In other words, each British megawatt costs 1.1 billion pounds.
On the other hand, the British government guarantees a fixed price of £92.50/MWh for 35 years.
As reported by E&T Magazine, the guaranteed tariff is higher than the European average.
While Angra 3 remains stalled in Brazil, Hinkley Point C advances
According to Eletronuclear, Angra 3 is 65% complete.
In direct comparison, Hinkley Point C has 78% of unit 1 ready after 9 years.
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Angra 3 should operate commercially in 2031.
In other words, the Brazilian plant started in 1984 and remains unfinished after 42 years.
Therefore, Brazil has 1,405 megawatts in Angra 1 and 2 plus 1,405 expected in Angra 3.
Similarly, the 2034 Decennial Energy Plan foresees 4 to 8 new nuclear plants in the country.
- Location: Somerset, England
- Technology: 2 EPR reactors of 1,630 MW each
- Total capacity: 3,260 MW (7% of British demand)
- Cost: £35 billion (2015 prices) / £48 billion (2026)
- Guaranteed tariff: £92.50/MWh for 35 years
- Operation: 60 years without heavy maintenance
- Unit 1 delivery: 2030
The Hinkley Point C plant occupies 174 hectares and employs 12,000 workers
According to the Office for National Statistics, the Hinkley Point C site occupies 174 hectares.
According to EDF, 12,000 workers are allocated to the project at peak construction.
Firstly, 4 million tons of concrete were used by May 2026.
Secondly, 230,000 tons of structural steel were employed on the site.
Subsequently, 60% of contracts were awarded to British companies.
As reported by the BBC, 25,000 technical apprentices trained in the project entered the market.
The Hinkley Point C plant has a 33.5% Chinese stake from CGN
The China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) holds 33.5% of the project.
In comparison, the French EDF controls the remaining 66.5%.
According to the 2016 agreement, CGN would also receive part of the next Sizewell C plant.
In 2022, the British government announced its intention to buy the Chinese stake in Sizewell C for national security reasons.
On the other hand, CGN remains active in Hinkley without contractual changes.
According to the IAEA, Hinkley’s operation will proceed even if there is a political change in 2030.
The CPG collection covers nuclear energy and the future of the energy matrix
CPG recently published about Angra 3 and Brazilian nuclear energy, in the site’s collection.
Subsequently, the site also published an analysis of nuclear energy in Europe, with data from the IEA.
In other words, the Hinkley Point C plant is a reference for the Western nuclear sector.
On the other hand, some point out that the EPR model has become too expensive to scale globally.
Next steps: fuel arrives in 2028 and delivery in 2030
Firstly, EDF will weld the current reactor between July 2026 and December 2027.
Next, the nuclear fuel loading takes place in 2028.
Finally, synchronization with the British power grid is scheduled for 2030.
However, some warn of the risk of further delays in electromechanical equipment.
Nevertheless, EDF assures that the 2030 schedule is maintained. Still, Hinkley Point C has become a symbol of the difficulties of nuclear construction in the West.
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