US anti-nuclear campaigner to back campaign against siting of nuclear reactors in Maesteg

Martin Shipton

A leading anti-nuclear campaigner from the United States is due to speak at two public meetings about controversial plans to build four small nuclear reactors at Maesteg.

Linda Pentz Gunter is a writer based in Takoma Park, Maryland. She is the author of the book, No to Nuclear: How Nuclear Power Destroys Lives, Derails Climate Progress And Provokes War.

Last Energy is a US-based company promoting their 20MW Small Modular nuclear reactor design. They originally announced in Autumn 2024 that they would build their first four reactors at the Llynfi Valley site south of Maesteg. Although a former coal-fired power station at the site has been demolished, the electricity substation is still there, meaning that connection to the national electricity grid would be easy).

Having informed the Welsh Government’s planning arm PEDW of their intentions, they were due to formally submit their planning application to PEDW by the end of February 2026. However, they missed that deadline, although they could re-apply at any time.

Last Energy entered into discussion with the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) last year. Their design has not yet been approved, with ONR saying that Last Energy’s desire to get ONR approval by the end of 2027 is “ambitious”.

The ONR report states: “The regulators identified that a suitable disposal route for certain reactor materials will be a key issue for Last Energy to resolve, as some materials may not be compatible with UK nuclear waste repositories.”

Last Energy has committed to addressing this issue through engagement with relevant stakeholders as the PWR-20 design is developed further. Plans changed following President Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. Last Energy brought a lawsuit against the state of Texas, claiming that current nuclear regulation was too restrictive, and won. They then announced that they’d build a 5MW pilot version of their reactor in Texas, at Texas A&M University. They raised over $100m of investment for this project and work on this prototype is continuing.

Brian Jones, a leading member of No Nuclear Llynfi, which was set up to oppose the planned reactors at Maesteg, said: “That’s where we are. Obviously, if they can’t get the pilot reactor to work, the entire scheme fails. But if they can, then they may submit planning permission, and if they get approval from the Welsh Government and from ONR, then they could start work on the site.

“No Nuclear Llynfi came together to oppose the development. We’ve held several public meetings, hosted the Climate Camp Cymru last August near the site, and have over 1,000 names on a petition against the proposal. We also presented our opposition to Bridgend County Council last September. Amongst the local points of concern is the very limited road access to the site, and the closeness of the site to local schools.

“We are also very concerned about the disposal of the nuclear waste, which would have to be kept in an enclosed and secured site for hundreds of years.”

Last Energy says it is working to power and decarbonise industry in South Wales.

Clean energy

In a statement on its website, the company says: “We build, own, and operate micro modular nuclear power plants to provide secure 24/7 clean energy to industrial customers, financed entirely by private capital.

“We are advancing plans to develop four plants on the vacant site of the Llynfi coal-fired power station in Bridgend County, south Wales. At 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity produced per plant, this 80 MW clean energy project will provide energy security to local manufacturers, create jobs, and unleash a long-term economic investment in the region.”

Last Energy claims that more than 100 local jobs would be created if the project goes ahead, and that 244,000 UK homes would be powered with an equivalent annual energy output.

The two public meetings organised by No Nuclear Llynfi will be held at Sussed in Porthcawl at 7.30pm on Monday June 29 and at Maesteg Town Hall at 2pm on Tuesday June 30.