Project Update – October 2026

Introduction

As we head into the autumn and winter months, Sizewell C is working closely with other infrastructure and energy projects in the area as we navigate required road closures.  We are working closely with Essex and Suffolk Water as they replace water mains along the B1125 between Middleton and Westleton.  The road will be closed from next Monday (9 November) until early March 2027.

Project: Reckford Road Water Pipe Upgrade | Essex & Suffolk Water

Scottish Power Renewables (SPR) will also be implementing road improvements at the B1069 / B1094 (Snape Road / Aldeburgh Road) for sixteen days.

To ease the pressure on the local road network during this time, Sizewell C are taking several actions including;

Increasing operational capability of the Northern and Southern Park and Rides which will include increasing the capacity of the Sizewell C bus service.

As part of this, Sizewell C workers are required to register their vehicles, and a parking space is assigned.  The buses drive point to point, therefore ensuring a reliable bus timetable.  We are also actively reducing construction vehicles which include 4x4 and smaller vans,

Offsite Infrastructure

Sizewell Link Road and Two Village Bypass

The Sizewell Link Road contractor, Kier, is currently progressing works across most of the areas of the scheme, with earthworks remaining the primary focus during this early phase of permanent construction works.

At the western end of the route, works are underway to construct the new roundabout that will ultimately connect the Sizewell Link Road to the A12.

Works are also progressing at the Middleton Moor roundabout, which will provide the future connection between the B1122 and the Sizewell Link Road.

The Rookery Park rail bridge construction preparations continue, including completion of the piling mat ahead of piling installation in spring 2027.

In addition, preparations are ongoing for the construction of the Pretty Road overbridge, another key structure within the scheme.

Another early focus is the construction of the haul road across the site with full completion targeted by the end of 2026, enabling the majority of the Sizewell Link Road construction traffic to be routed internally within the project boundary, substantially reducing the need for construction vehicles to use the local road network, particularly the B1122 through Middleton and Theberton.

Park and Rides

At the Northern Park and Ride (Darsham) the A12 improvement works are the current priority which include improving pedestrian crossing, resurfacing, signage and road marking improvements, and connection for the foul drainage. These works are due for completion on Tuesday 10^th November 2026.

Once the Darsham Park and Ride roundabout street lighting becomes operational, the A12 speed limit will return to 40mph.

Roads in and around Leiston

The Plaza roundabout that will eventually be connected to the Sizewell Link Road and will be the main gateway to the Sizewell C project is progressing well.

Our focus is to have the roundabout operational in mid-November with the roundabout connected to the current B1122 and Eastbridge Road.

There will be weekend closures of the B1122 between Potters Street and Lover’s Lane and Eastbridge Road from the B1122 for approximately 300m throughout November as road resurfacing and footpath improvements are carried out.

Along Lovers Lane, temporary traffic lights are ongoing to facilitate improved highway drainage and a new access road to the Ancillary Construction Area (ACA).

Local Road Improvements

The A12 improvement works at Marlesford are due to be fully completed by Mid-November, which will include new light signalled pedestrian crossing, crossing islands, new footpaths and a new permanent 30mph speed limit, all of which will improve road safety and community connectivity.

The next phase of A12 improvement works will be at Saxmundham to improve the junction of the B1119 / A12 which will start in Mid-November.

The footpath and road resurfacing on the B1122 continues with works expecting to conclude in the first week of November.

From Monday 2 November work will begin on the B1125 at Westleton which will require temporary closures of roads in Westleton to facilitate improvement works including footway and pedestrian crossing improvements; Traffic calming measures; Road marking and village gateways; Landscaping; Parking restrictions; and reduced speed limit south of Westleton.  We will be carrying out further improvement works on the B1125 at Blythburgh at the Walberswick junction and the closing of Dunwich Road

Rail

Sizewell C Materials are now being brought in by Rail.  The trains will run overnight Monday to Saturday morning between the hours of 2230 and 0530 to avoid passenger services.

Further upgrades to level crossings are ongoing with Melton and Darsham level crossing works being carried out in phases by Network Rail from this Autumn.  Further updates on these works will be outlined on the Sizewell C Works Tracker: [Insert Link]

Main Construction Area (MCA) and beach

We have made significant progress with the construction of the Marine Bulk Import Facility (MBIF). We expect to reach the loading platform at the end of November. We are on course for the MBIF to be operational by Spring 2027.

From Spring, we will start constructing the Beach Landing Facility (BLF). The BLF will facilitate the delivery of approx. 1,400 exceptional large loads by size and weight including the delivery of the Tunnel Boring Machines, Transformers, Steam Generators, Reactor Domes and Container Liners. The BLF will be a permanent feature of Sizewell C and is designed to be used in the Decommissioning phase.

We continue to install rock armour on southern end of the Temporary Sea Defence sheet pile wall.  On completion of the Rock Armor Wall, the existing ten-meter Dune, within the Main Site, can be removed to allow the next phase of tunneling works to commence in early spring 2027.

Further onsite, the 21-meter-deep Desalination Plant Shaft is being constructed and is currently being fitted out with secondary concrete headwalls to receive the Micro-Tunnel Boring Machine (M-TBM). This is the first of two pipelines (the Outfall Pipe) that have already been drilled to the seabed ready for the installation of the Outfall Head in early 2027. The second pipeline (the Intake Pipe) will require the M-TBM to drive a pilot tunnel that will be followed by the Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) 430 meters to the seabed which will also have an intake head installed.

Temporary Construction Area (TCA)

We have almost completed the installation of a warehouse on site that will house equipment and future materials.  The warehouse has been recycled from HS2 and forms a part of the circular economy.  We have completed the first concrete batching plant on the TCA that enables the project to make concreate directly on site.

The campus main amenity building steel frame has been completed, with cladding work due to commence. Enabling works for the wider accommodation village is ongoing with foundations for the first accommodation block complete.

The first of three bridges is now fully operational and links the TCA to the MCA.  This is an important milestone as it allows construction traffic to reach the main site from the TCA, therefore diverting construction traffic from travelling to site via the Sizewell B main entrance.