A nuclear body from the UK has backed plans to develop a new small-scale nuclear project in north Wales. On Tuesday it was announced that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cwmni Egino to support their development of a new small-scale nuclear project in Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd.
This will mean that the NDA will be able to share information and expertise around the characteristics of its land in Trawsfynydd, to align the decommissioning plans and site activities with the new nuclear project, and to support Cwmni Egino with stakeholder engagement and developing socio-economic plans.
In May of this year the former prime minister Boris Johnson announced at the Conservative party conference in Powys that Wales was set to get two new nuclear plants – one in Trawsfynydd and one in the Wylfa site on Anglesey. Meanwhile Rolls-Royce has been developing plans for a new type of small modular nuclear power station.
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The advantage of the smaller reactors is that they can be built much more quickly and cheaply as the parts can be shipped by road. It will also advance the UK Government's energy security strategy to create "secure, clean, and affordable British energy" for the long-term.
The site in Trawsfynydd, Snowdonia, was formerly the site of a nuclear power station, which became operational in 1965 and was decommissioned in 1991 by Magnox Ltd, which is a subsidiary of the NDA.
NDA, on behalf of the UK Government, are responsible for cleaning up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites "safely, securely, and cost-effectively" with the aim of benefiting local communities and the environment. The NDA also owns land outside the Magnox site boundary, which could be used for a new nuclear development. Any formal commitment of NDA land, or other support, would require government approval via NDA's sponsoring department BEIS.
Cwmni Egino is the development company established by Welsh Government in 2021 to drive future development at Trawsfynydd and to promote regional economic and social regeneration. They are currently developing a business proposition for the development in Trawsfynydd with a target for construction to start in 2027.
Following the announcement the UK minister for business, energy, and corporate responsibility Lord Callanan said that the development had "the potential to greatly benefit our country's economy and energy security". He added: "But this will also be of huge benefit to the people living around Trawsfynydd who are set to benefit from the skilled jobs this could create in the coming years."
NDA chief executive David Peattie remarked that it was an "important step" and that the success of the project in Trawsfynydd would also benefit the neighbouring communities of the north Wales site. Cwmni Egino chief executive Alan Raymant said: "Our relationship with the NDA is critical to the successful delivery of our vision for the development of new nuclear at Trawsfynydd.
"We’re very pleased that the MoU is now formally in place. We look forward to working with the NDA as we continue to develop our proposals which will bring significant benefits to local communities as well as help achieve energy security and net-zero targets."
In response Wales' economy minister Vaughan Gething also said the development was "very good news". The minister added: "We established Cwmni Egino to maximise the potential of the Trawsfynydd site to benefit the economy of the surrounding area. I’m pleased to see this further step forward in the project."
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