Daily Express, on Climate, 28 October 2026

6.0out of 10Serious

A new £47bn power station - 'terrible deal!'

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.1 finding

A new £47bn power station will make energy bills more expensive - 'terrible deal!' MPs have raised the alarm about a energy deal for taxpayers. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Steph Spyro , Deputy political editor and environment editor 06:00, Wed, Oct 28, 2026 Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station Site (Image: Getty) MPs have raised the alarm about the “terrible deal" struck for the taxpayer when it comes to the Sizewell C nuclear project.

Senior parliamentarians on the Commons’ Public Accounts Committee said the scheme’s investors are set to cash in and leave taxpayers to foot the costs, including through higher energy bills . The PAC is “deeply concerned” that if costs exceed projections, which they are set to, private investors will only have to provide an additional £30 million compared to an additional £9.8 billion paid by consumers during construction. A further £12billion will be coughed up over the 60-year operating contract through higher energy bills.

The MPs’ report brands the project’s funding arrangements as a “terrible deal” for taxpayers. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Britain rejoins major EU scheme as Andy Burnham plots Brexit betrayal The one video Andy Burnham doesn't want you to see has revealed his true Brexit views Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family .

Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Sizewell C, a 3.2GW nuclear power station under construction on the Suffolk coast, will cost up to £47.7billion and is expected to finish construction by 2043.

But Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "The high level of risk borne by taxpayers and consumers for the construction of Sizewell C is extraordinary. Private investors look set for significant returns on their investments, while customers are likely to be saddled with higher energy bills. “The government must focus on the successful delivery of this project, not just of a new nuclear power station, but of a commercially derisked nuclear sector for a taxpayer that should never be put in this position again.”

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Sizewell C’s design has previously been used in France, Finland and China and is currently being used in the UK for the construction at Hinkley Point C, a nuclear power station currently under construction in Somerset. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT But no comparable nuclear power station anywhere in the world has been built on time and to budget. Sir Geoffrey said: “The history of the Sizewell C deal risks being one of missed opportunities for the taxpayer; for example, the mapping of the Hinkley designs onto the current project the point is they did it rather than going out into the world to see if there was a better cheaper design.”

This is the latest high risk mega project in terms of ballooning costs. HS2, The Elizabeth Line, the Lower Thames Crossing have all been plagued by budget overruns. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: "This report completely ignores that investors are incentivised to complete construction as cheaply and quickly as possible. “We need to build new nuclear to move the country off expensive fossil fuels and onto clean, homegrown energy we control.

"Once operational, Sizewell C could save £2 billion a year across the energy system, cutting costs for families up and down the country, and the project is already making good progress with over 2,000 workers on site." Energy Energy bills Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments

Read the original article on express.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
What we found (1)

The Express reports the Public Accounts Committee's criticism of the Sizewell C funding deal and gives the government's reply. Its headline turns the committee's warning that customers are likely to face higher bills into a flat statement, in its own voice, that the plant will raise bills. The headline drops the attribution and the government's counter-claim that the plant could cut system costs.

  1. Headline goes beyond the article

    Serious

    “will make energy bills more expensive”

    Why this matters
    The headline says in the Express's own voice that the power station "will make energy bills more expensive", with no attribution and no qualification.
    The impression it gives
    That higher bills from Sizewell C are an established certainty.
    The context
    In the body this is the committee's assessment, framed as likely and tied to cost overruns. The government disputes it and says the plant could save money across the energy system.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“customers are likely to be saddled with higher energy bills”
    • Elsewhere in the article“if costs exceed projections”
    • Elsewhere in the article“Sizewell C could save £2 billion a year across the energy system”

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Sizewell C deal could push up energy bills, MPs warn, calling it a 'terrible deal' for taxpayers.

Spot something we missed? Report this article

More from Daily Express

  1. 28 OctUK drivers warned of 'dangerous' conditions on Thursday - 'avoid travel if possible'3.0
  2. 27 OctUK households handed £850 boost with new Warm Homes scheme under Andy Burnham6.0
  3. 27 OctMet Office issues weather warning update as Brits in 7 UK areas face 'danger to life' risk0.0
  4. 27 OctEnergy bills could hit nearly £2,200 a year for thousands of households0.0
  5. 27 OctTony Blair tells John Healey to ditch net zero focus in major energy shake-up3.0

Everything we scored from Daily Express