Bradwell B nuclear power station

Bradwell B
Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Nuclear power
Founded	2013
Founder	China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), EDF Energy
Headquarters	Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Products	Electricity generation (nuclear)
Owner	China General Nuclear Power Group (66.5%), EDF Energy (33.5%)

Bradwell B represents a planned nuclear power facility located at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, and is under development by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN). Upon completion, the station is expected to generate 2,200MWe through two UK HPR1000 reactors, a design jointly created by CGN and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The site lies adjacent to the former Bradwell nuclear power station, which has been decommissioned.

History

In January 2008, the UK government authorized the construction of new nuclear power plants alongside existing nuclear sites. By 2010, ten locations—including Bradwell—were shortlisted for development, later narrowed down to eight.

Negotiations between China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and EDF Energy commenced in 2013 for CGN’s investment in the UK nuclear market. These discussions concluded in 2015, resulting in EDF acquiring majority ownership of Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C projects, while CGN obtained a 66.5% controlling interest in Bradwell B. CGN proposed deploying its Hualong One reactor technology at the Bradwell B site.

On 19 January 2017, the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation and Environment Agency launched the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) for the Hualong One reactor, with completion initially anticipated in 2021. By November 2020, the HPR1000 design successfully met compliance requirements based on European Utility Requirements.

CGN carried out a two-phase consultation process for Bradwell B; stage one occurred from March through July 2020. In June 2020, CGN submitted an application for an electricity generation licence to Ofgem, which was granted in December 2020.

By 2021, rising concerns within the UK government regarding Chinese involvement—amid worsening China–UK diplomatic relations—led to considerations for excluding Chinese companies from nuclear projects.

In February 2022, the UK HPR1000 reactor finalized its GDA procedure after receiving Design Acceptance Confirmation from the Office for Nuclear Regulation and a Statement of Design Acceptability from the Environment Agency.

Timeline

Stage	Status	Date Completed
Statement of community consultation	Completed	March 2020
Stage 1 consultation	Completed	1 July 2020
Updated statement of community consultation	In Progress	-
Stage 2 consultation	Not Yet Started	-
Review of Stage 2 responses	Not Yet Started	-
Application submission	Not Yet Started	-
Decision	Not Yet Started	-
Construction	Not Yet Started	-
Operation	Not Yet Started	-

Funding

The financial backing for Bradwell B is shared between CGN and EDF Energy, holding respective stakes of 66.5% and 33.5% throughout development.

The total project cost remains indeterminate due to factors such as potential design modifications, construction approaches, supply chain establishment, financing structures, and possible cost efficiencies derived from earlier HPR1000 initiatives.

As of July 2020, the consortium is pursuing government funding support via the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, which will be addressed during subsequent phases.

Construction

The construction timeline is estimated at nine to twelve years: nine years allocated for reactor construction and commissioning followed by approximately three years dedicated to site restoration. This phase is projected to create tens of thousands of jobs including about 3,000 local roles at peak building activity. Operational staffing is expected to reach around 900 positions during normal operation, increasing by approximately 1,000 during outages occurring every eighteen months.

The build-out will unfold across five distinct stages:

Stage 1 – Site preparation (24–36 months): includes excavation, earthmoving activities, and establishing temporary infrastructure such as roads, delivery zones, dining facilities, medical centers, and parking areas.
Stage 2 – Civil construction (29–38 months): involves major structural works including installation of reactor containment domes.
Stage 3 – Installation (27–33 months): fitting critical power station equipment and systems necessary for commissioning.
Stage 4 – Commissioning (14–20 months): encompasses testing procedures, fuel loading operations, grid connection synchronization prior to operational handover.
Stage 5 – Site restoration (24–36 months): focuses on landscaping efforts and dismantling temporary facilities around the site.

Design

The Bradwell B development comprises two HPR1000 UK reactors, jointly engineered by CGN and CNNC, each delivering a gross electrical capacity of 1,170MWe and a net output of 1,090MWe. Engineered for a service life of six decades, these reactors integrate both passive and active safety mechanisms, featuring dual containment structures. The design is based on the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant’s units 3 and 4 located in Guangxi, China, which began operation in March 2023 and May 2024 respectively.

Criticism

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice accused CGN of illicitly acquiring American nuclear technology, alleging a coordinated effort to support China’s nuclear advancement in violation of U.S. regulations. This accusation has fueled opposition within the United States toward CGN’s leading role in the Bradwell B project, contrasting with earlier collaborations where CGN was limited to financial participation.

Concerns intensified in 2020 when a prominent Conservative Member of Parliament emphasized potential risks associated with CGN’s involvement in critical UK infrastructure, particularly following Huawei’s exclusion from the UK’s 5G network due to espionage concerns. Industry leaders have acknowledged that Bradwell B remains a significant issue for the Conservative government. According to reports by the Financial Times, dissenting Conservative MPs are closely examining CGN’s participation in both Bradwell B and Sizewell C projects, with MP Iain Duncan Smith advocating for a comprehensive review of nuclear agreements given China’s classification as an untrusted supplier.

Duncan Smith cautioned that UK energy strategy could become excessively influenced by China, characterizing this as "complete domination" within the sector. Energy policy analyst Steve Thomas observed that CGN aims to leverage the UK project to enhance its international standing and legitimacy, highlighting that governmental approval will ultimately be a political decision. Should Bradwell B be canceled, it may affect CGN’s engagement in other UK initiatives such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.

Following Hitachi’s September 2020 exit from the Wylfa and Oldbury projects, the BBC reported that the UK government contemplated replacing CGN as an investor in Sizewell C and expressed skepticism regarding CGN’s continuation with Bradwell B amid escalating security apprehensions and deteriorating diplomatic relations.

References