Welsh minister reveals new permanent CEO of state-owned nuclear company

A Welsh minister has revealed his choice of CEO for a state-owned nuclear company.

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy, has appointed Alan Raymant as the new permanent boss of Cwmni Egino.

The power firm, which was set up by the Welsh Government in 2020, has been tasked with exploring the possibility of building a new nuclear reactor in Trawsfynydd.

Raymant, a former Chief Operating Officer for Horizon Nuclear Power, replaces Mike Tynan, who was Cwmni Egino’s interim boss.

Trawsnfynydd is already the site of the decommissioned Magnox nuclear power station that ran between 1965 and 1991.

According to the Financial Times, Mike Tynan and Cwmni Egino will explore the economic benefits of siting a small-scale reactor at Trawsfynydd.

The Welsh Government and UK Government consider the small-scale reactors an important technology to meet net-zero targets by 2050.

Rolls-Royce, which has designed a small modular reactor and is waiting for UK regulatory approval, has previously said that there was a “pretty high probability” Trawsfynydd could house the first by the early 2030s.

‘Further update’ 

In a statement, the minister said: “I am providing members with a further update on the establishment of Cwmni Egino, the site development company for the former power station site at Trawsfynydd. This follows my previous statement on 26 August 2021.

“Members will recall that the purpose of Cwmni Egino is to bring forward potential new projects including the deployment of small nuclear reactors to generate electricity and wider options to maximise the opportunity for the site.

“I previously reported that Mike Tynan had been appointed as Cwmni Egino’s interim Chief Executive. Mr Tynan agreed to a 6 month contract during which he has put in place firm foundations for the company and initiated discussions with the landowners on potential land lease arrangements for the future.

“I can now announce that following a competitive recruitment process, Alan Raymant has been appointed as the longer term Chief Executive for Cwmni Egino and that he will begin work in his new role on 1 March 2022.

“Mr Raymant was most recently the CEO on the Bradwell B project in Essex and was Chief Operating Officer for Horizon Nuclear Power between 2009 and 2016. He brings a wealth of experience and is a highly regarded executive within the sector.

“Mr Raymant joins Cwmni Egino at the same time as the Cwmni Egino Board is strengthened with the appointment of two non-executive directors who between them, have many years of experience within the nuclear and wider energy sector.

“Robert Davies, most recently, the Chief Operating Officer of CGN UK and Kevin McCullough, a former Chair of Horizon Nuclear Power and the Welsh Government’s Energy and Environment Sector Panel, join Dr John Idris Jones as new Board members with immediate effect. I expect to further strengthen and diversify the Board’s membership with a second round of appointments later in the spring.”