‘Developing Wylfa is a no-brainer’ – Ynys Môn MP

Ynys Môn MP Llinos Medi has criticised the UK Government for failing to advance nuclear development at the Wylfa nuclear site on the island.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday evening, the Plaid Cymru MP highlighted Ynys Môn’s long history with nuclear power, noting that the Wylfa plant has been a key part of the island’s energy infrastructure since the 1970s.

Preferred site

In May 2024, the Conservative Government had confirmed Wylfa as the preferred site for a major new nuclear power development.

This followed an announcement by then Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his March Budget of a £160 million deal with Hitachi to purchase the Wylfa site and the Oldbury site in South Gloucestershire as two possible sites for new nuclear projects.

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

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

Ms Medi urged the UK Government to make a clear and urgent commitment to the Wylfa nuclear site, describing its development as “a no-brainer” for ensuring energy security and creating much-needed jobs in north Wales.

She also called on the Labour government to reconsider its decision to remove Wylfa as a “preferred site” for nuclear development in its national policy statement, warning that such a move could confuse developers and slow down the progress needed at Wylfa.

Left waiting

Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Medi said: “Ynys Môn has a long history associated with clean nuclear power, with two Magnox reactors constructed at Wylfa in the 1960s and coming online in 1971. By 2015, both reactors had reached the end of their operating life and were shut down. Despite promises of a new nuclear project at Wylfa, communities on Ynys Môn have been left waiting and waiting, with RWE and E.ON pulling out of developing a new project at Wylfa in 2012, followed by Hitachi in 2018.

“The Prime Minister has recently said that the world has changed, and that, ‘It’s not the job of governments to sit back and hope for the best, or simply manage the moment.’

“In that spirit, I ask the Government to look seriously at developing the site at Wylfa. It would provide a reliable, clean source of power that could last for up to 80 years, strengthening our energy security at a time when the world is becoming more uncertain.

“It is estimated that a large reactor project would create 10,000 jobs during construction in north Wales and 900 long-term jobs during operation—this is in an area of Wales with some of the lowest wages. If the Government are serious about generating growth, they must surely see that developing a site at Wylfa is a no-brainer.

“The Government have changed their approach to the planning system for nuclear projects. While I recognise the Government’s aim of changing the planning system to make it easier for more sites to host nuclear power, that should not come at the expense of progressing with development at Wylfa.

“The removal of the preferred site, including Wylfa, in the Government’s nuclear planning policy will likely lead to confusion for developers about where they should prioritise their investments. I urge the Government to reinstate Wylfa as a preferred site in the national policy statement for nuclear energy generation.

“We also have little clarity from the Government about the role of Great British Energy in supporting nuclear energy at Wylfa. I had tabled an amendment to the Great British Energy Bill to ensure that nuclear development would be at the heart of GBE, but that was rejected by the Government.

“As the head of Rolls-Royce has said, the UK Government run the risk of ensuring that critical supply chains to support the development of small nuclear reactors will be built elsewhere if they fail to select the companies to build them by the end of June. The Government say that they will announce plans for the small modular reactors soon, but when exactly will that be?

“The people of Ynys Môn have had their futures put on hold for too long by successive Westminster Governments. This Government need to make a decision on Wylfa and to do so quickly.”

Clean power mission

In response, Assistant Whip Gen Kitchen MP said:  “The hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Llinos Medi) is right to champion clean power and nuclear power. We have a clear clean power mission, and national infrastructure projects will be covered by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which I hope she will scrutinise keenly.”

Conservative Shadow Minister Mike Wood added: “The hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Llinos Medi) is continuing the excellent work done by her predecessor to fight for the Wylfa nuclear power station. As she says, it should be a no-brainer, and it has to be a core part of our clean energy mix going forward.”