Prime Minister: Planned Welsh nuclear plant is ‘going to happen’, amid claims of a U-turn on stalled project
Boris Johnson has insisted a new Welsh nuclear plant is “going to happen” and there will be a “couple of reactors” at the site.
The prime minister made his comments about the Anglesey-based proposed site of Wylfa after accusations of a U-turn from Labour.
Britain had reportedly been in talks with two American companies over the site, but no agreement had yet been made, with Labour’s shadow Welsh secretary accusing the PM of backtracking on his commitment to the project. A plan for the station previously collapsed in 2020.
This comes as the uK looks to shore up its energy security due to the war in Ukraine and rising inflation and costs of living.
Speaking during a local council election campaign visit in Wales, he said “we want to make sure we get the right deal for the UK taxpayer.
“But we also want to have something that’s really ambitious, and that is going to do justice to the scale of that Wylfa site.”
He said there would be a” couple of reactors” there, and the UK “now working on all this very, very fast. We want to get going on Wylfa in the next couple of years.
“It’s going to happen”, he added.
Labour’s Jo Steven said the project was a U-turn, adding: “I really hope that he does fulfil his promise and it is true.”
“We need an energy mix to deal with the current energy crisis. So this is good news. But we could have done with it before now.”
Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the UK Nuclear Industry Association said: “Wylfa is one of the best sites for new nuclear in the UK, with the potential to be a low carbon powerhouse. It is very encouraging to see it at the front of the government’s thinking for development as we seek to strengthen our energy security, wean ourselves off imported gas and guarantee a secure, sovereign supply of electricity.
“It is important now that the government builds on the leadership it showed in its energy security strategy by removing the barriers to getting nuclear projects off the ground.”