Nuclear plants have a small environmental footprint and keep the air clean. They require only a small amount of fuel compared to gas or coal, and take up a fraction of the space required for wind and solar farms.

The UK government estimates that Hinkley point C will generate approximately 7% of the UK's electricity(10) (currently 24.5 TWh/yr) for 60 years, from a site area of less than 2km2. By contrast, the country's 175-turbine London Array offshore wind farm, the world's largest, generated 2.5 TWh in 2015(11) from a site area of over 100 km2.  Per unit of area, Hinkley Point C will generate approximately 500 times more electricity than the London Array wind farm.

By preventing the emission of pollutants from other sources, nuclear energy has up to now averted about 2 million pollution-related deaths, and by 2050, is likely to prevent a further 7 million(12).