Ynys Môn MP calls for UK Government clarity on Wylfa site

Ynys Môn MP Llinos Medi has called on the UK Government to provide clear commitments and timelines regarding the future of the Wylfa site and the broader energy strategy for Wales.

Speaking during a debate on the Great British Energy (GBE) Bill on Thursday (5 September), Ms Medi highlighted the island’s rich natural energy potential and criticised the ongoing political uncertainty surrounding the future of the Wylfa nuclear site.

She also accused the previous Conservative government of playing a “political game” and offering local communities a “false dawn” regarding the future of the site.

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

Hitachi 

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.

The Plaid Cymru MP also expressed concerns about the lack of investment in Welsh energy projects, noting that Wales received only 1.63% of the latest contract-for-difference auction allocation, with no contracts awarded to Welsh floating offshore wind projects.

She praised the success of the HydroWing tidal project, which secured 10 MW in the recent auction, and highlighted the importance of the community-owned Morlais project off the coast of Holyhead.

However, she urged the government to ensure local and community ownership of energy projects and called for the devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales, in line with Scotland.

Control

She said that, ultimately, the only way the “immense” natural energy potential of Ynys Môn and the rest of Wales could be realised is for control of Welsh natural resources to be held by Welsh communities.

“Ynys Môn is known as the energy island because of its rich natural energy potential, its powerful, predictable tides and the proud history of nuclear production on the island.,” she told MPs in the Commons.

“The Wylfa site has been a political game for over a decade. Back in 2019 we were so close to the finish line, but the site lacked political support from the Government at the time. The community has witnessed the false dawn of Wylfa Newydd, and there is uncertainty regarding site under this Labour Government.

“The Government’s fact sheet for the Bill says that Great British Energy’s functions will include ‘exploring how Great British Energy and Great British Nuclear will work together’. The people of Ynys Môn do not want more consideration; they want clear commitment and timelines. I urge the Government to give Ynys Môn a straight answer about the future of the Wylfa site, and a clear timeline.

“I was pleased that the HydroWing tidal project won 10 MW in the latest contract-for-difference auction. This technology will produce energy for the community-owned Morlais project off the coast of Holyhead. However, Wales received only 1.63% of the total auction allocation and no contracts were awarded to Welsh floating offshore wind projects.

“We were promised that a Labour Government in Westminster and a Labour Government in Wales would benefit Wales. This is yet to be seen.

“A commitment for GBE to massively expand local and community ownership energy alongside devolution of the Crown Estate would ensure that ownership and profits from energy projects are in the hands of the people of Wales and could help lower bills. I urge this Government to make sure that those decisions are put in local hands, but not to rush the decisions on large solar panels, because food security is paramount and losing valuable agricultural land could mean a decline in the economy of Ynys Môn.

“Ultimately, the immense natural energy potential of Ynys Môn and the rest of Wales can be truly realised only if control of Welsh natural resources is held by Welsh communities, backed with sufficient public investment to meet our climate and economic goals.”

Shocks

Speaking during Thursday’s debate, the Energy Security, Ed Miliband said the flagship GB Energy company will shield consumers from international market shocks

Mr Miliband told MPs: “The truth is that we had the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation because of our exposure to fossil fuels. We have seen prices rise again on October 1, not because of decisions made by Government but because of our dependence on international gas markets.

“The argument for clean energy that we used to debate 15 years ago was a climate argument. It is now as much an energy security argument as a climate argument.”

In August it was announced that £5.5 billion had been “unlocked” as part of a new nuclear power station subsidy scheme.

The money is for “development expenditure” including enabling works at Sizewell C in Suffolk, before a “final investment decision”, when the project’s backers decide whether or not to press ahead with it.

The Sizewell C company has said the project would support around six million homes.