en.Wedoany.com Reported - Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis has secured a five-year framework agreement to continue as the civil design partner for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk, UK. The agreement is directly signed with the project development company Sizewell C Ltd, which is jointly supported by the UK government and Électricité de France (EDF). AtkinsRéalis will collaborate with the project's Civil Works Alliance (CWA), which includes major construction companies such as Balfour Beatty, Laing O'Rourke, and Bouygues Travaux Publics.
The Sizewell C project will build two EPR (Evolutionary Power Reactor) units, each with an electrical output of 1,630 MWe, with a design directly replicated from the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset. This replication approach allows the team to reuse engineering plans, transfer skilled labor, and reduce construction risks. The project's construction budget is estimated at £38 billion (approximately $50 billion). Currently, over 2,000 workers are on site, with numbers expected to rise to 8,000 during peak construction.
This project is the first nuclear power station in over thirty years to be majority-owned by the UK. Following the Final Investment Decision (FID) in July 2025, financing is allocated between public and private investors under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model. The UK government is the largest shareholder, holding 44.9%; institutional investor La Caisse holds 20.0%; UK energy company Centrica holds 15.0%; project supplier and nuclear operator EDF holds 12.5%; and private investor Amber Infrastructure holds 7.6%.
AtkinsRéalis is providing multidisciplinary design and engineering services for the permanent plant design of Sizewell C, covering the conventional island, auxiliary facilities, heat sink buildings, and ancillary works. This continues the company's extensive role during the project's planning, licensing, and pre-engineering phases. AtkinsRéalis will continue to introduce new and existing digital tools into the delivery process of civil engineering projects.
The Sizewell C project follows a structured five-phase development timeline for the main site. Phases 1 and 2 involve site preparation and earthworks (2024 to 2026), with formal construction commencing in January 2024. The Final Investment Decision in July 2025 unlocked full funding. By early 2026, the on-site workforce exceeded 2,000, the first major engineering trains arrived via the operational Sizewell branch line, and 60% of materials were transported by rail or sea. Current priorities include completing the temporary sea wall, park-and-ride facilities, and foundation works. Phase 3 involves main civil works (2026 to 2029), initiating heavy civil engineering led by the permanent design framework involving AtkinsRéalis, including deep excavations, nuclear island construction, and the first structural concrete pour. Phase 4 covers mechanical and electrical installation (late 2020s to early 2030s), involving the installation of the two EPR reactors, as well as turbines, cooling systems, and grid infrastructure. Phase 5 involves commissioning and commercial operation (mid-2030s), encompassing safety testing, fuel loading, and first criticality. Commercial operation is targeted between 2034 and 2037, depending on the replication of the Hinkley Point C design.
Joe St Julian, President of Nuclear at AtkinsRéalis, stated that since 2019, the company has played a significant role in the design and engineering management of Sizewell C, bringing knowledge, experience, and lessons learned from a decade of delivery at Hinkley Point C. He noted that the design and engineering teams have pioneered new digital technologies and data-driven designs to streamline schedules, increase certainty, and reduce project risks. This new agreement reaffirms the commitment to realizing the full benefits of replication and unlocking greater efficiencies through excellence in delivery.
With over 70 years of global nuclear expertise, AtkinsRéalis provides nuclear technology products and comprehensive service solutions to nuclear utilities worldwide. The company is the steward of CANDU nuclear technology, operates across four continents, and offers consulting and engineering services to other nuclear developers.
