Sizewell C plans to power a desalination plant for its construction phase using electricity from Sizewell B.

Bosses of the new nuclear site planned for Leiston say the temporary facility will meet its water needs until a new water main is completed in the early 2030s. Talks with water companies about the pipeline are ongoing.

They say that while water demand will vary, the desalination plant can supply all the water the project needs - even at peak construction phases. About 70% of the water it produces will be reused and it says surplus water can be used to benefit "other users in the community".

The aim is to make construction of the Suffolk plant "as green as possible", it said.

Sizewell C said desalination would become "an important future technology in the UK" as the effects of climate change put greater strain on water supplies.

It is in discussions with EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Limited to agree a supply of zero carbon electricity from Sizewell B next door.

Co-managing director Julia Pyke said: “This is another demonstration of our commitment to reduce the impacts of construction and to provide lasting benefits to East Suffolk.

"Our desalination plant will run on clean energy and combined with our long-term plan for water, will help build a more resilient supply in the East of England.

"It will also allow us to gain experience and skills in a technology which will become more widely used as we deal with the consequences of climate change.”

Other plans to cut carbon emissions during construction include a fleet of hydrogen buses to transport construction workers.

The company recently announced that it had purchased four buses from Wrightbus in Ballymena as part of pilot project.

It is also developing a Direct Air Capture facility in Lowestoft to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.