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Nuclear South West Partnership Welcomes Government Announcement on Hinkley Point C

The largest engineering project in Europe – the construction of the new power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset – is a once in a lifetime opportunity to boost the jobs and economic prosperity and generate thousands of training opportunities for local people throughout whole of the South West.

Today’s announcement is welcomed by the Nuclear South West (NSW) consortium, which is a partnership between the nuclear industry network in the South West and the stakeholder alliance of the three Local Enterprise Partnerships: Heart of the South West, West of England and GFirst; the academic and skills sector and the business support agencies.

Hinkley Point C will be the first new nuclear power station in the UK for a generation, capable of generating 7% of the UK’s total energy requirement. Over 60% of the project’s £18 billion construction value is predicted to go to UK companies. The project will create 25,000 job opportunities, 1,000 apprenticeships and will inject £100m a year into the regional economy.

Matt Burley, NSW Chair said: “I am absolutely delighted that our Government has approved EDF’s Final Investment Decision to allow the Hinkley Point C project to go ahead.   This decision now clears the way for a huge multi-year nuclear reactor build programme and up to 60 years of large scale electrical power production which will advance our fight against climate change and will affect every one of the 210,000 business in the South West, either directly or indirectly.   Hinkley Point C is a fantastic opportunity that places the South West at the forefront of UK civil nuclear new build: it will allow South West businesses to build knowledge and access the global nuclear industry; it will allow local schools, colleges and universities to get up close to the very latest science and engineering disciplines; and it will allow our families to benefit from the long term regional economic benefits.   This is a fantastic day for the nuclear industry, for the UK, for France, for EDF, for our Chinese Investment Partners, and for the South West.”

Dr Brian J McConnell, Managing Director of Hydrock and founding member of NSW said:“The Prime Minister’s decision to give the green light for Hinkley Point C is excellent news for the UK, for the South West and for the supply chain. This multi-billion pound project will be a massive boost to the regional and national economy for many years and is the first of a number of planned new nuclear power plants across the country.   Many companies already working with EDF on the Hinkley project, such as our own,  already know the positive impact this project can have on their business.

“The Government has placed a clear emphasis on an industrial strategy and Hinkley Point C is the first part of a new nuclear programme which will extend to Wylfa Newydd on Anglesey, Moorside in Cumbria and Sizewell in Suffolk, bringing with it an abundance of opportunity.

“Hinkley Point C has been a long time coming but finally it has been given the go-ahead and it’s up to companies in the south-west and beyond to seize the opportunity.”

Steve Hindley, Chair of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) LEP, where Hinkley is sited, said: “Hinkley Point C will transform our economy, creating 25,000 new jobs and generating £18bn investment. It’s the cornerstone of our Nuclear South West partnership in which we’re promoting the South West as the UK’s leading area for the nuclear sector with international profile.

“We’re geared up to provide local packages of investment which will make sure we really maximise these opportunities for people and businesses in our area:

“The new Somerset Energy and Innovation Centre near Bridgwater, the Hinkley Point Training Agency and the Hinkley Supply Chain for example – all part funded through the HotSW LEP’s deals with Government – are key components of the thriving Nuclear South West cluster.

“This development will create a major step-change on our journey towards transformational growth, when we will really see the true value of the Heart of the South West in its role within the UK economy.”

Stephen Robertson, Chair of the West of England LEP  said:

“This is tremendous news for jobs and skills – the £18billion investment is set to create 25,000 new jobs and consolidate our position as the UK’s leading area for the nuclear sector.   We have been working with local partners to gear up the supply chain to maximise opportunities for as many people and business as possible.     Hinkley Point C marks only the beginning of a rolling programme of investment in nuclear power in the south west, this includes Oldbury, South Gloucestershire, once again showing that the West of England really is the home of knowledge, innovation and quality of life”

David Owen, Chief Executive of GFirst LEP, commented: “The approved investment that will see Hinkley Point C go ahead is great news for the region’s economy, especially with a boost in local job creation.

Businesses in Gloucestershire will be a vital part of the supply chain and skills. The decommissioned Berkeley power station site the GREEN skills centre will open, confirmed as part of GFirst LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan submitted to Government in 2014, with the Gloucestershire Growth Deal allocating £1.15 million for this development, in partnership with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

The centre will deliver much needed STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) skills, in order to provide training and apprenticeships to create a local workforce that will excel in the demand for skilled engineers. With the predicted 25,000 jobs being created at the Hinkley site, Gloucestershire will be the go to place for skills to meet the growing demand in nuclear, engineering and renewable energy.”

There are over 180 nuclear companies and organisations in the South West. Many are part of NSW’s industry network which helps businesses raise their profile and win work by sharing information and connecting them to new opportunities.

NSW held an event in Westminster in July – The South West – Powering the UK’s Nuclear Future – which brought together parliamentarians and South West nuclear industry leaders to set out the economic potential the region has to support the UK energy sector and ensure the Government recognises the unique opportunities that exist in the South West.

Following from this NSW is holding its inaugural Conference in Bristol on Tuesday 20 September where SMEs will be able  to hear news about an extensive range of nuclear prospects across the entire sector.

Today’s announcement consolidates those opportunities and will enable the local economy to create a legacy of jobs, skills, infrastructure and supply chain trade.

Ends

Notes to Editors

NSW Media Enquiries: Helena.davison@heartofswlep.co.uk 07525 806 333

Nuclear South West is a partnership between the nuclear industry network in the South West and the stakeholder alliance of the Local Enterprise Partnerships: Heart of the South West, West of England and GFirst; the academic and skills sector and the business support agencies.

Nuclear South West is capitalising on the South West’s unparalleled strength and potential in the global nuclear industry; and generating transformational economic benefits to the UK and regional business community. The facts and figures are:

There will be at least £50billion worth of contracts available to South West companies across 15 projects over the next 20 years in new build, decommissioning and defence.

There are over 180 nuclear companies and organisations in the area, with over 8,000 highly skilled workers.

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      David Ralph

      Chief Executive

      David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.

      Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.

      David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.