Janet Finch-Saunders MS – the Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Energy, and Rural Affairs – has written to the First Minister expressing her concern at Hitachi’s decision to pull out of the Wylfa Newydd power-plant project in North Wales.
Horizon Nuclear Power said it will end its activities to develop the plant in Anglesey, a £20-billion project that would have led to the creation of around 850 jobs.
Of the decision by Hitachi, Mrs Finch-Saunders wrote:
“Alongside being a major blow to the process of decarbonisation of which a switch to nuclear power is a key element to achieving the UK’s ambition for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, this is extremely bad news for the creation of green jobs, levelling up the economy, meeting our energy needs, and for the people of Ynys Môn and all of North Wales.”
She added that Duncan Hawthorne, Chief Executive of Horizon Nuclear Power, has commented that Wylfa remains a highly desirable site for new nuclear build, and that Horizon will do its utmost to facilitate the prospects for development.
Mrs Finch-Saunders also asked the Frist Minister to explain what action he will take to assist Horizon in facilitating a nuclear project on Ynys Môn, saying:
“I have also asked him to publish an action plan for securing interest in developing a nuclear project at the site, and to determine whether there is any possibility of the location being considered for a small modular reactor.”
For earlier Welsh Conservative comment on small modular reactors, click here.
The image, courtesy of Rolls-Royce, shows an architect's impression of a small modular reactor.