‘The U.K. has a competitiveness deficit in its energy costs—that’s a real call to action,’ says EDF U.K. chair

Sir Alex Chisolm has been U.K, chair of EDF for more than two years, but he is still awestruck by the power on display when visiting any one of the company’s eight nuclear power stations.

At Sizewell, which is currently home to Sizewell B, the U.K.’s largest operational nuclear site, he says: “You can stand on the bridge there and feel, wow, this is how we actually make this.

This is the room with the magic that’s powering 1.2 million homes, and you’re going to see these giant machines going around amazingly fast.

You think, well, that is power.” Chisholm stepped down as permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office in 2024 and currently serves as a non-executive director at BT and senior adviser to Boston Consulting Group, in addition to his EDF role.

Transitioning from the world of politics and returning to the private sector has been a welcome change of pace.

“It’s good for people like me who spent probably a bit too much time hanging around Whitehall offices to get out to sites where the real work is done by people to power the nation,” Chisholm says.

EDF, a French state-owned energy company, sits at 15th on the latest Fortune 500 Europe rankings and recorded profits of €8.4 billion ($9.7 billion) for the 2025 financial year.

Chisholm first developed an interest in the energy sector while at the Competition and Markets Authority, which was overseeing an energy market review when he was chief executive of the regulator.

He also served as head of the business and energy department for four years and says he found the sector “absolutely fascinating.” “This is the room with the magic that’s powering 1.2 million homes, and you’re going to see these giant machines going around amazingly fast.

You think, well, that is power.” Sir Alex Chisolm, U.K, chair of EDF “The energy sector is so important to the way people lead their lives, to our business competitiveness, and all the changes happening with the development of AI,” he adds.

“So I thought that was a very worthwhile challenge to throw myself into.” Rising energy costs ‘put brakes’ on growth Energy companies and the U.K. government are currently facing pressure to help bring business energy costs down.

Gas and electricity costs for businesses have increased by 25% since February, according to industry research firm Cornwall Insight, largely as a result of conflict in the Middle East.

The Confederation of British Industry has warned that persistently high energy prices threaten the U.K.’s global competitiveness and risk “putting the brakes on the country’s growth ambitions.” Chisholm believes that the government should be prioritizing reducing energy costs for both businesses and consumers.