In November 2023, the Sizewell C nuclear project in Suffolk announced plans to power its construction-phase desalination plant with zero carbon electricity from the neighbouring Sizewell B power station. Talks were under way with EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Limited. The temporary plant was to supply the site with water until a new water main provides a permanent supply in the early 2030s. This would reduce the need for grid or generator power. The project was also discussing the main with the region's water companies.
The report showed that desalination was seen as a future building block of water supply in the UK too, here first as a temporary solution for a major construction site, linked to the question of low-carbon energy.
Source: Envirotec