Following the auction run by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), the RWE and E.ON joint venture today set out plans to develop both sites and the aim of delivering at least 6 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity in the UK, with the first station coming online at around the end of the next decade. Added to EDF Energy's firm plans to build 6.4 gigawatts, this takes the total declared plans for the first phase of new build to 12.4 gigawatts. This would be enough to meet a quarter of UK electricity demand, and would exceed the UK's existing nuclear fleet, all but one of which will have closed by 2023.

Land at a third site, at Bradwell in Essex, was bought by EDF Energy, next to land it acquired in January with the acquisition of British Energy. EDF Energy's preferred new build sites are Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk. Subject to various conditions being met, including the level of progress at these two sites, EDF Energy has agreed to sell its land at Bradwell.

EDF Energy is also committed to offer land at either Heysham or Dungeness to potential new build developers.