French energy giant EDF saw its UK profits decline last year, attributed to a combination of falling energy prices and a significant outage at one of its nuclear power stations.
Despite this setback, the company has announced plans for a substantial £15 billion investment in the country over the next three years.
The energy firm reported a 12 per cent decrease in nuclear output from its five operational power stations during the period.
While its Sizewell B facility in Suffolk and Torness in Scotland performed strongly, the overall output was significantly impacted by an extended outage at the Hartlepool power station.
The Teesside-based station, which began generating power 43 years ago and supplies electricity to approximately two million homes, experienced a prolonged shutdown.
Despite these operational challenges, Hartlepool recently secured a one-year extension to its operational lifespan, now expected to generate electricity until March 2028.
This extended downtime, primarily due to issues affecting one of its two reactor systems, was identified as the main driver for EDF’s overall decline in nuclear generation last year.
Furthermore, a decline in earnings was also down to the prices it charges for nuclear power being lower than in 2024.
It is understood that average prices were down by approximately 20 per cent.
Energy prices in the UK have been gradually coming down after spiking in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
EDF said that in its UK business, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were £1.9 billion for 2025, down about a third from £2.9 billion in 2024.
EDF’s nuclear fleet provided about 12 per cent of the UK’s total power demand last year – which it says makes it Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity.
The company said it invested more than £5 billion in Britain over 2025, 30 per cent more than the year before.
Over the next three years, it plans to plug a further £15 billion into the UK across its different businesses – which also incorporates wind and solar power generation.
A large portion of the funding will go towards the development of the Hinkley Point C power plant which is being built in Somerset.
EDF is separately an investor in the major Sizewell C project in Suffolk, which is backed by the Government.
The two developments are expected to provide low carbon electricity to meet 14% of UK demand and power around 12 million homes.
Simone Rossi, chief executive of EDF in the UK, said: “EDF is continuing to invest heavily in powering, supplying and building an electric Britain.
“Our UK strategy is to deliver a long-term nuclear and renewables generation business, and to meet the evolving needs of our customers as more and more transition away from fossil fuels to using cleaner, more secure and affordable electricity.”