The UK government is determined to drive forward nuclear energy projects through both public and private investment, despite this being a time of “immense challenge for the public finances”, energy secretary Ed Miliband told the Nuclear Industry Association conference in London.

Milband said new nuclear offers “big returns for the country” and the economic and energy security case for new nuclear is “very strong”.

He said there are already hundreds of workers on the Sizewell C nuclear site, where France’s state energy company EDF is planning two build two EPR units, and the “equity and debt raise process will shortly move to its final stages” with a final investment decision on whether to proceed with the project to follow.