The UK government’s Planning Inspectorate said it has carried out a screening assessment of possible significant effects on the environment in neighboring countries and concluded the proposed new-build project is not likely to have significant effects in any other states outside of the UK.
The government decided to inform all signatory states to the Espoo and Aarhus conventions of the Sizewell C project and invite their participation in the decision-making process.
The government said the public can provide their input by completing an electronic registration form online by 30 September 2020.
The Espoo convention obliges states to carry out environmental assessments, including cross-border assessments, of major projects at the early stages of planning. The Aarhus convention gives rights to the public to receive access to information on major projects and to be consulted on their development with regard to the environment.
Earlier this week, the UK’s Environment Agency announced it was seeking feedback on applications for three environmental permits required for operation of the Sizewell C.
The three permits sought are for disposals and discharges of radioactive waste; operation of standby power supply systems using diesel generators; and discharge of cooling water and liquid effluent into the North Sea.
EDF SZC Company, a subsidiary of France’s state-run utility and nuclear operator EDF, is looking to build two new Generation III EPR units at Sizewell C, near the existing Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk, eastern England.
In May EDF submitted an application to the government to build the two new units.
