Sizewell C has signed a programme alliance agreement with Balfour Beatty, Laing O鈥橰ourke and Bouygues Travaux Publics, who together form the Civil Works Alliance (CWA).
The CWA brings the companies together with Sizewell C into a single delivery organisation that will be responsible for extensive areas of the project, including:
- enabling works and earthworks
- marine and tunnelling works
- main civils works (nuclear island, conventional island, heat sink and balance of plant)
- ancillary works and permanent roads and networks.
The CWA is organised so that Sizewell C is embedded in the alliance as 鈥榗lient participant鈥�. It will operate a target outturn cost (TOC) contract model to keep control of schedule and costs.
The aim is also that it will help to foster transparency, collaboration and efficiency.
The three companies joining Sizewell C are already working together at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is using the same Generation III+ European pressurised reactor (EPR) design that Sizewell C plans to use.
As a near replica project, Sizewell C will gain from their vast experience, skills and strong delivery culture, it is assumed.聽
Nigel Cann, joint managing director of Sizewell C, said: 鈥淭his agreement ensures that our civils programme will be delivered by three companies with deep experience of building to the highest nuclear standards.
鈥淗inkley Point C has done the heroic work to restart our industry and is seeing big improvements between the construction of reactor Unit 1 and Unit 2.
鈥淲ith our CWA partners, we will use replication and innovation to build on that progress and deliver Sizewell C more efficiently and with improved productivity.
鈥淲e are also clear that the project should help bring lasting change for the better to Suffolk. All the Alliance members will actively look to provide as many opportunities as possible for local people and businesses.鈥�
Balfour Beatty group chief executive Leo Quinn said: 鈥淪izewell C represents a critical investment in Britain鈥檚 energy security and net zero future. As a trusted delivery partner with a strong track record in complex nuclear infrastructure, we are proud to be bringing background knowledge and experience from Hinkley Point C to this critical national infrastructure project alongside our alliance partners.
鈥淭he signing of the programme alliance agreement further demonstrates the important role we continue to play in powering the UK's transition to a low-carbon economy.鈥�
Bouygues Construction deputy chief executive Jean-Philippe Trin said: 鈥淪izewell C illustrates Bouygues Construction鈥檚 commitment to supporting the development of low-carbon energy solutions, building on the extensive experience the company has gained through its involvement in major nuclear projects.鈥�
Laing O鈥橰ourke group chief executive Cathal O鈥橰ourke said: 鈥淭he experience we have gained at Hinkley will power our delivery of Sizewell C. 聽Working with our partners, we will deliver the project securely with a laser focus on safety, quality and productivity.鈥�
Preliminary construction work at Sizewell C began in January 2024 and since then the project has achieved its early milestones on time and on budget. Earlier this month, the government said it would allocate 拢14.2bn to the project over the next five years. A final investment decision, which will announce the private investors helping to fund the 拢40bn project, is expected later this summer.聽
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