According to the Government, a generation of young people on Anglesey/Ynys Môn and across North Wales are set to benefit from thousands of new jobs and billions of pounds in investment over the next decade.
North Wales is expected to become a beacon in the “golden age” of nuclear, delivering the UK’s first ever small modular nuclear reactors built by publicly owned Great British Energy-Nuclear and, subject to final contract, designed by Britain’s Rolls-Royce SMR.
The confirmation of Wylfa as the host site is designed to right the wrongs of previous failure to bring new nuclear power to North Wales.
Sitting on the North Wales coast, Wylfa has a strong nuclear heritage dating back to the
1960s.
The first-of-its-kind project is expected to support up to 3,000 good jobs in the local community at peak construction, underpinned by billions of pounds of infrastructure investment out to the mid-2030s.
The UK’s first small modular reactors – mini nuclear reactors which are smaller and quicker to build than some traditional nuclear power stations – are projected to deliver power for the equivalent of around three million homes.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “This nuclear revival in Anglesey will fire up the Welsh economy, marking the start of a new era in British innovation and energy security.
“Wylfa will revitalise local communities, attract major investment and open up exciting opportunities for young people –
creating world-class training and apprenticeships in North Wales for the next generation of engineers, technicians and innovators.”
Alongside the siting announcement, to pursue the option of a further large-scale reactor project beyond the current deployments at Hinkley Point C and the recently confirmed Sizewell C, the Government is announcing that Great British Energy-Nuclear has been tasked with identifying suitable sites that could potentially host such a project.
GBE-N will report back by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond. The Energy Secretary has requested that this should include sites across the United Kingdom, including Scotland.
Any further large-scale project, subject to future policy decisions, would be similar in scale
to the Hinkley Point C or Sizewell C projects, with the potential to power the equivalent of six million homes.
GBE-N will start activity on the site in 2026. The initial project will be for three SMR units, but Great British Energy-Nuclear believes that the site could potentially host up to eight mini reactors. The ambition is for Wylfa’s small modular reactors to supply power to the grid from the mid-2030s.
There is also strong export potential for small modular reactors, after the UK and Czechia signed a deal to cooperate on civil nuclear. It comes after Rolls-Royce SMR and Czechia’s largest public company, CEZ, agreed last year to partner on SMRs, with CEZ acquiring a 20
percent stake.
Great British Energy-Nuclear also owns the Oldbury nuclear site in Gloucestershire. As a site which has previously hosted a nuclear power station, it also has potential for new nuclear, including the potential to support the privately led projects being developed by the nuclear industry.
Simon Bowen, Chair of Great British Energy-Nuclear, added: “This is a historic moment for the UK, and is another momentous step in realising Britain’s potential in leading the way on nuclear energy.
“These first SMRs at Wylfa will lay the groundwork for a fleet-based approach to nuclear development, strengthening the UK’s energy independence and bringing long-term investment to the local economy.
“Wylfa has a proud history of nuclear excellence, and we’re excited to build on that foundation to deliver jobs, training, and low-carbon energy for generations to come."