Britain’s Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk was reportedly under review as the government looked to limit spending.
The new reactor, located some 30 miles northeast of Ipswich, was expected to be built by energy firm EDF.
Boris Johnson promised 700 million pounds (785 million dollars) of taxpayers’ money to the project in his final policy speech in early September as he sought to make energy security part of his legacy as prime minister.
But a government official had since told the BBC: “We are reviewing every major project – including Sizewell C.’’
The total cost of the Sizewell C project could be around 20 billion pounds, according to reports.
It was not expected to begin generating electricity until the 2030s.
The similar reactor at Hinkley Point C in Somerset began construction in 2016 and would not be online until 2027, although this was partly due to the impact of the pandemic.
Proponents of the site said it could help get Britain to run on zero-carbon power, but others say the cash would be better spent on wind farms or insulation.
The government sought opportunities to reduce spending after the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned last month that the state faced a roughly 60 billion pounds financial black-hole.
It said the black hole followed the mini-budget announcement in September.
The Treasury had since pulled back on a number of previous unfunded tax cuts or spending plans. (dpa/NAN)