Sizewell C agrees to be the first funder of a new Community Interest Company

• New independent company with purpose to deliver additional benefits to those impacted by the energy transition in Suffolk
• The Community Interest Company aims to bring together partners including other infrastructure companies to provide additional funding

Sizewell C has agreed to be the first funder of a new independent Community Interest Company (CIC) to deliver additional long-term environmental, social, and cultural benefits for communities across Suffolk with an initial annual commitment of up to £5m per year.

The CIC is being developed alongside Sizewell C’s long-term presence in the county, and in recognition of the cumulative impact major infrastructure projects can have on local areas.

The CIC aims to work with other nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) to raise additional funds for local projects. Its structure is designed specifically to attract additional funding from other infrastructure developers, philanthropic organisations and grant-making bodies—enabling the CIC to deliver benefits well beyond any one project.

The CIC, an independent organisation, will be developed by Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, who will continue to work together on its early development, with Julia chairing the organisation for its first three years.

Working closely with local partners, the CIC will aim to join up opportunities, not duplicate them, and create a legacy that outlasts the construction period of the current projects in Suffolk.

Julia Pyke said: “We want to create an independent organisation with a long-term mission to back young people, champion the arts, and support the environment. As AI transforms the job market, we want to help open up career paths and continue the work Sizewell C has already begun in expanding high-quality areas for nature. This is about building a model through which collective investment leaves a broader, higher impact and more enduring legacy.”

Nigel Cann, CEO of Sizewell C, said: “The CIC presents a big opportunity for Sizewell C to support an additional vehicle to get positive benefits to Suffolk for decades to come. This is about adding to the work we already do in this region and widening the positive impact we can have here. With our current projects like the College on the Coast, our Site Social Benefits Forum, and our ambitious plans for biodiversity, we’re already delivering benefits well beyond our planning commitments.

“CIC will help Suffolk attract further funding to do more – and its structure is designed to bring in other supporters and funding streams. I’m delighted to be working with Julia to make the biggest possible difference with this new company and the opportunity it offers.”

Community Interest Companies are limited companies established to deliver community benefit. They operate with a legal “asset lock”, meaning their resources must be used for public benefit rather than private gain.

Sizewell C will continue working with local partners and welcomes the support of other potential NSIPs to develop the model, including governance arrangements, funding mechanisms and the transition of existing programmes into the new organisation.