Plans for nuclear power site at Wyfla must centre on needs of local community – Llinos Medi

Plaid Cymru’s candidate in Ynys Môn for the upcoming General Election says any plans to develop a nuclear power site at Wyfla must centre around the needs and interests of local communities.

The UK Government confirmed earlier today (22 May) that the Wylfa site on Ynys Môn is their preferred option for the development of a new large-scale nuclear power station.

This follows the announcement in March that the UK Government had purchased the land previously owned by Hitatchi for £160 million.

Wylfa’s twin reactor Magnox nuclear power station stopped generating power at the end of 2015 and has been decommissioned.

Hitachi pulled the plug on a project to build a nuclear power station on the site three years ago, despite pumping £2 billion into the development.

‘Wary’

Llinos Medi, who is also the leader of the Island’s council, said: “This announcement is to be welcomed, but we have to remain wary of the political motivations behind it. All we’re being told is that Wylfa is a priority site for nuclear development, something we’ve long been aware of. Without any further details or timescales to accompany it, unfortunately, this announcement doesn’t offer anything but warm words.

“The truth is, it was the UK Conservative Government’s fault that plans to press ahead with this development were scrapped back in 2019, taking away thousands of potential jobs that local people were promised and putting us all the way back to square one.

“While I’m glad that developing a nuclear power station at Wylfa is back on the table, the priority for these plans must centre around the needs of our local communities on Ynys Môn.

“However, I fear that, based on their previous track record, this will not be a priority for this UK government.  I will continue to demand the best for local communities on Ynys Môn and ensure that any development of a nuclear power station on the island is delivered with their interests at heart.”

Electioneering

Dylan Morgan from the anti-nuclear group Pawb said: This announcement by the Conservative government is a blatant example of crude electioneering. It is a cynical attempt to bolster Virginia Crosbie’s chances to retain the Ynys Môn seat, when they actually have nothing on the table to offer for the Wylfa site.

“Twenty years have been wasted on pursuing nuclear dreams for Wylfa with Hitachi writing off the £2 billion they spent on the Horizon project. They were simply not prepared to invest the company’s money in a bottomless nuclear hole.

The UK government was not and is not in any position to provide huge public subsidies to try and attract big investments by private companies. The people of Wales and Ynys Môn and Gwynedd in particular should not be misled into thinking that Wylfa has been selected as the first-choice site.

That is totally inaccurate. Hinkley Point C in Somerset is the only site where two huge French EPR reactors are being built. At the start of construction in 2015, the estimated cost was £18 billion. This has now rocketed to £46 BILLION and with an earliest completion date of 2031.

“EDF who are leading the construction then want to turn their attention to build two more identical reactors at Sizewell in Suffolk if Hinkley is completed.

“It is dishonest for the Tory government to spin and talk up chances about the Wylfa site when this dirty, dangerous, outdated and extortionately expensive technology is limping towards irrelevance and oblivion. Currently, renewable technologies supply 30% of the world’s electricity whereas nuclear power supplies just over 9%, a figure which shows no sign of increasing.”

Talks

UK Government ministers are starting talks with international energy firms to explore building the UK’s third mega-nuclear power station at the site, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

The department said the gigawatt nuclear power plant could provide enough clean power for six million homes for 60 years, bringing the UK closer to its target of generating a quarter of all electricity – around 24GW – from homegrown nuclear power by 2050.

Announcing the plans, Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “We are powering ahead with the biggest expansion of nuclear energy in 70 years.

“Anglesey has a proud nuclear history and it is only right that, once again, it can play a central role in boosting the UK’s energy security.

“Wylfa would not only bring clean, reliable power to millions of homes – it could create thousands of well-paid jobs and bring investment to the whole of North Wales.”

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies added:“This is significant and welcome news for Wales that promises to bring thousands of high-quality jobs to the local economy.

“Alongside the revival of nuclear power at Wylfa, recent measures we have announced include a Freeport for Anglesey, £17m in Levelling Up money for Holyhead and electrification of the North Wales rail line which show that the UK Government continues to deliver for Anglesey and for North Wales.”