Energy chiefs are hailing a "Suffolk success story" after Sizewell B notched up enough electricity production to power every home in the county for 192 years.

Station director Robert Gunn thanked his team - especially those who worked over Christmas - as the nuclear plant passed the 250TWh (terawatt hour) mark from since it first became operational in 1995.

Plant owners EDF estimated the power station has saved 87 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere – the equivalent of keeping all cars in the UK off the road for more than a year.

“Sizewell B has been a Suffolk success story for almost 29 years," said Mr Gunn.

East Anglian Daily Times:

"This latest milestone is a fantastic demonstration of how the power station is continuing to provide reliable, 24/7 electricity to our energy mix – over a quarter of a century after it first started generating.”

The plant has attracted more than 75,000 people to its visitor centre and pays out £40m a year in wages to its staff - which number nearly 600 directly employed and 250 contractors.

EDF is working towards extending Sizewell B’s operational lifetime by another 20 years - taking it to 2055 - but has yet to make up its mind about the commercial viability.

It is putting the finishing touches to the technical case and says it is seeking "greater cost certainty and confidence" in the long-term commercial case to enable a final investment decision.

East Anglian Daily Times:

The energy milestone was "the result of a lot of hard from a lot of great people", said Mr Gunn.

"I’m really proud of the contribution of everyone here at Sizewell B. The power station is a key national asset, it makes a significant contribution to Britain’s energy security, and I’m looking forward to adding to this big milestone over the coming decades.”