£1.1bn works package lined up as Wylfa nuclear plans gather pace

Mark Mansfield

Preparatory works worth up to £1.1bn are being lined up as part of plans to build the UK’s first small modular nuclear reactors at Wylfa on Ynys Môn.

Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) has begun sounding out contractors for a major package of work including site clearance, earthworks, infrastructure and utilities.

The procurement notice does not name the site, but Wylfa has been selected for the UK’s first SMR development, with an initial three Rolls-Royce reactors planned.

GBE-N signed a contract with Rolls-Royce SMR in April to begin design work on the reactors, which are expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of around three million homes.

The newly disclosed early works package has an estimated value of between £730m and £1.1bn and would prepare the site for the main construction programme.

Work could include species relocation, remediation, site clearance, construction utilities, drainage and haul roads, as well as extensive earthworks.

GBE-N said the work would establish the required ground levels and safe access routes for later construction, creating the physical platform needed for the main development.

The contract is currently expected to run from June 2028 until June 2034, with an option to extend it until June 2037.

GBE-N had considered dividing the work into two contracts but has opted for a single package in an effort to reduce the risks associated with different contractors working across interconnected elements of the project.

However, the organisation cautioned that the scope, timetable and estimated value could change as the programme develops.

The procurement process is expected to formally begin with publication of a tender notice in March 2027.

Webinar

GBE-N is also due to hold a webinar for potential suppliers on September 3 outlining the proposed procurement approach and details of the early works.

The package has been identified as particularly suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, potentially opening opportunities for companies in Wales to become involved in the supply chain.

The latest development follows the signing of the contract between GBE-N and Rolls-Royce SMR earlier this year.

The Wylfa project is expected to support around 8,000 jobs across the UK, including up to 3,000 locally during peak construction, according to industry estimates.

Rolls-Royce SMR chief executive Chris Cholerton said at the time: “This contract unlocks the delivery of our first three units at Wylfa and brings certainty to the UK SMR programme.”

The former nuclear power station stopped generating electricity in 2015 after more than four decades of operation.

Previous plans by Japanese company Hitachi for a new large-scale nuclear power station at Wylfa were abandoned in 2020 after funding could not be secured.

The Wylfa scheme is subject to regulatory approvals and a final investment decision, with electricity generation expected to begin in the 2030s.

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