• Around 8,000 people will work on site at peak construction, with a third coming from East Anglia
• Both park and ride sites will be fully open in 2026 – serviced by zero emissions buses
• Jess Asato MP: “I’m especially encouraged to see Sizewell C is working hard to ensure these opportunities are visible and accessible to as many people as possible”
• Over 2,000 people are now at work on site at Sizewell C each day, as the project continues to make significant progress on the Suffolk coast.

The milestone – double the amount of workers working on site a year ago – is a reflection of the significant jobs opportunity the project presents.

Around 8,000 people will on site during peak construction, with a third of those coming from East Anglia – and a recent Oxford Economics report found that the project could reduce local unemployment in Suffolk by up to 1,700–2,200 people, cutting the county’s jobless rate from 2.7 per cent to as low as 1.7 per cent. Over a third of Sizewell C’s total workers are currently from the East of England.

Over the course of construction, Sizewell C will support tens of thousands of UK jobs and create 1,500 apprenticeships. According to the Oxford Economics report, the project will provide an average of just under 9,000 direct and indirect jobs a year during the construction period.

Many of the workforce will be transported to site by Sizewell C’s fleet of zero emissions buses. Last year, the project officially opened the first section of its Northern Park and Ride facility at Darsham, and both that site and the project’s Southern Park and Ride site near Wickham Market will be fully open this year.

Nigel Cann, CEO of Sizewell C, said: 
“Sizewell C is delivering thousands of jobs and opportunities already, both here in the East of England and across the UK. This is a project that will leave a skills legacy for generations to come.

“These numbers also tell you that we’re getting on with it – we’ve built the first of three bridges which connects our construction sites; we’re building new roads, roundabouts, railways, a beach landing facility, and on-site accommodation to house those workers. And while we know that our off-site work will cause some local disruption, those projects – including our park and rides and new road and rail infrastructure – will ultimately reduce our impact in the area.

“We’ve delivered around £3bn in contracts to over 400 British suppliers, with nearly £1bn in contracts awarded to businesses here in our host region. That’s a big contribution to UK growth – and eventually over 70% of our total construction spend will go to business right here in the UK.

“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve shown already just what an incredible contribution nuclear can make for jobs, skills, investment, and prosperity for the East and the UK as a whole.”

This latest announcement coincided with a visit to Sizewell C from Lowestoft MP Jess Asato, who was on site to discuss Sizewell C’s continuing investment in and relationship with Lowestoft.

The project has agreements in place with Jess Asato MP  to deliver at least 500 jobs for the town.

Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft, said: 
“Just over a year ago, I signed an agreement with Sizewell C, in which they pledged to provide 500 jobs for people in Lowestoft. I’m delighted to say that the project has already delivered almost half – 225 jobs – jobs of that target for the people of this town. This is a great result for Lowestoft, for our young people and for those looking for new opportunities or to reskill – and I’m proud to be a part of making these opportunities a reality for our town.

“I’m especially encouraged to see that Sizewell C is working hard to ensure these opportunities are visible and accessible to as many people as possible, and is creating clear pathways to high-skilled, high-paid careers in the sector through excellent partnerships in the town. Through this long-term commitment to jobs and careers, alongside direct investment, the partnership between Sizewell C is flourishing – and Lowestoft is well positioned to benefit from Sizewell C and the clean energy sector for years to come.”

Last week, Sizewell C unveiled plans for a major new bus depot in Ipswich that will create up to 400 jobs and support sustainable transport for the project’s growing workforce. The project has already delivered over 300 jobs for people from Ipswich as part of its own agreement for 500 jobs for the town with Ipswich MP Jack Abbott.

Sizewell C is delivering a Sizewell C Jobs Service in partnership with the Suffolk region too – ensuring that local employment is maximised. The Jobs Service has over 4,000 people registered for work, while more than 2,500 businesses have registered on our Supply Chain Portal

The project submitted a planning application for a new education campus at the end of last year, has launched a regional jobs fair series with the Department of Work and Pensions, and opened a brand-new employability hub, Nucleus, in partnership with East Coast College – all part of a broader strategy to ensure that job opportunities are accessible in the region.

Lord Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear, said: 
“Sizewell C is creating jobs, apprenticeships, and opportunity for people in Suffolk.

“It is a prime example of how the clean energy transition is delivering thousands of good jobs, right across the country, with 860,000 clean energy jobs expected by 2030 – up to 60,000 of which are set to be in the East of England.”

In September last year, the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) reported that the East of England nuclear workforce had grown by 15% in a year, reaching its highest level ever, driven by the growth of Sizewell C.

This growth in the East reflects a broader national surge. A record 98,000 people now work in the UK civil nuclear sector, up 11,000 in the past year and 55% over the past decade, supported by projects including Sizewell C and Hinkley Point C.

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: 
“The rapid growth of the East of England’s nuclear workforce demonstrates that Sizewell C is already making a real difference, creating high-quality jobs and apprenticeships that will sustain the local economy for generations. Sizewell C is not only vital for clean power, but central to regional prosperity.”

Support for local communities

As the project continues to grow, the project has lots of measures in place to support local communities.

A dedicated Information Office on the High Street in the project’s host town of Leiston is open five days a week to answer community questions, the project runs regular forums to enable local people to continue to have a say during the construction period, and a Works Tracker enables local communities to see the works upcoming and underway.

A £250m package of funding for the local community is available in phases during the construction phase of the project, which includes £23m for community projects, £100m for the environment, £12m to support local tourism, and a £12m housing fund to boost private housing and tourist accommodation.

The project aims to deliver 60% of construction materials by rail and sea to limit the impact on the local road network, and many of the off-site projects currently underway, including a new Two Village Bypass, link road, new roundabouts, and park and rides, will ultimately reduce the project’s impact on the local area.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Sizewell C