The UK’s nuclear sector has widely welcomed the final go-ahead for Hinkley.

Tom Samson, CEO at NuGen told ELN: “We are glad that Hinkley is now going to progress forward, it paves a way for the nuclear new building horizons in the UK, within NuGen is a part. I think it helps demonstrate that this is the country for investors who are attracted to nuclear new build to come in and demonstrated by the government’s commitment to the CfD [Contracts for Difference] and in Hinkley.”

The CEO at Horizon Nuclear Power, Duncan Hawthorne also agreed that the government’s decision announced on Thursday leads the way for other nuclear projects to be approved.

Speaking to ELN at the World Nuclear Association Symposium, he said: “What you need to do here is to have very strong government policy support because for these projects to proceed developers have to take a lot of financial risk in the early years as they try to develop the project.

“These are expensive projects to develop so if you are going to make that sort of investment you want to feel confident that the government’s support is there so it helps us to know that the new Prime Minister has reviewed the project and endorsed it because that gives us confidence that when our projects get to Number 10 Downing Street they can expect to receive a favorable outcome.”

Tom Greatex, CEO at the Nuclear Industry Association believes the UK now has the chance to show the rest of Europe how to build new nuclear.

He added: “There are other countries that will be interested in potentially new nuclear for the future. What we have the opportunity in the UK to do is demonstrate that in the European context and that’s a challenge for the industry’s well up for, is ready for who wants to go and deliver and today is the final hurdle to enable us to now go on and do that.”

EDF boss Vincent de Rivaz claims Hinkley is historic for the UK.

More reaction from the sector here.