Households will be forced to pay for Hinkley’s power via energy bills for 35 years and the total costs have risen from £6 billion to £30 billion

The government’s deal for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point has “locked consumers into a risky and expensive project with uncertain strategic and economic benefits”, according to a damning report by the National Audit Office.

Ministers failed to consider alternative ways of financing the plant, which could have halved the overall cost to households, the public spending watchdog found.

Households will be forced to pay for Hinkley’s power via energy bills for 35 years and the total costs have risen from £6 billion to £30 billion, the equivalent of £15 on the average annual bill.

The plant is under construction in Somerset and is due to open in 2025, supplying 7 per cent of Britain’s electricity. However, the NAO report recommends that the