Ynys Môn MP demands clear timelines and ‘transparent decisions from UK Government over new nuclear plans

Plaid Cymru’s MP for Ynys Môn Llinos Medi has pressed UK Ministers to provide detailed timelines and firm commitments for the new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project at Wylfa.

Ms Medi secured an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on Monday – the first opportunity for MPs to question the UK Government since last week’s announcement that nuclear power would return to the north Wales site.

Wylfa has been chosen as the preferred location for the UK’s first fleet of SMRs, to be developed by Rolls-Royce, marking the most significant advancement toward new nuclear on Ynys Môn since the collapse of the Horizon project in 2019.

Addressing MPs, Ms Medi welcomed the announcement but warned that “after many false dawns and broken promises,” local optimism remained cautious. She said the island had already witnessed the cost of failure when the previous project collapsed, “robbing a generation of the opportunity to live and thrive in their community.”

Calling Wylfa “the best site in Europe” for new nuclear, she urged the Government to commit to clear next steps, including the signing of the Rolls-Royce contract, the completion of the General Design Assessment, and the timetable for a final investment decision.

“Recent data from the Nuclear Industry Association now shows that nuclear jobs on Ynys Môn are at a record low,” she told MPs. “We cannot afford further setbacks. Clear timelines and transparent decisions are therefore essential.”

Ms Medi also stressed the need for local economic benefits, including a strengthened supply chain and support for education providers such as Coleg Menai and Bangor University to train a new generation of workers.

“Ynys Môn has known nuclear for 65 years,” she said. “To maximise success, the Government must work with the local authority on behalf of our community to deliver tangible economic and social benefits.”

She warned that while the UK Government’s £2.5 billion commitment to the SMR programme was welcome, the majority of costs at Wylfa would still be privately funded. With Wylfa set to host a fleet of first-of-their-kind reactors, she asked Ministers whether they would demonstrate “full commitment” to the project.

False starts

Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP said the Government recognised the history of “false starts” at Wylfa but insisted the SMR programme now had “tangible timelines” in place.

“This is a historic opportunity,” he said, predicting that initial work on the site could begin as early as next year. Around 3,000 construction jobs are expected at the project’s peak.

He joined Ms Medi in paying tribute to campaigners and local representatives who had worked “over many years” to bring new nuclear back to the island.

“This next generation of nuclear,” he added, “has the potential to finally realise Wylfa’s long-promised future.”