Source · Select Committees · Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 28
Uncertainty and raised expectations for new nuclear build at Wylfa concern the local community.
Conclusion
The previous attempt to bring a new nuclear project to Wylfa by Hitachi has left scars on the local community. We are concerned that expectations are being raised again on Ynys Môn and question how long the uncertainty can continue about whether or not a new nuclear build will be delivered at Wylfa.
Government Response Summary
The government outlines its long-term nuclear ambition and plans to develop a new National Policy Statement and consult on siting policy. However, it explicitly states that no decisions have been made on specific sites or technologies, which does not address the committee's concern about continued uncertainty regarding Wylfa.
Paragraph Reference:
28
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Government welcomes Hitachi’s continued stewardship of the Wylfa Newydd site and the effort taken to maintain the site in recent years. While any decision to sell the site is a commercial decision for Hitachi, we continue to have a positive relationship and strong dialogue with all nuclear site owners (as nominated under the 2011 National Policy Statement) and remain in a conversation with them about how to best enable and deliver on the Government’s ambition for up to 24GW of nuclear energy by 2050. Government has established Great British Nuclear (GBN) to drive forward the UK’s new nuclear programme. GBN will be working with Government on access to potential sites for new nuclear projects to achieve our long-term ambition. GBN will also support the Government’s consideration of further large Gigawatt-scale projects to help us deliver on our long-term ambition. However, no decisions have been taken over which technologies future projects will proceed with, or at which sites. Government recognises the desire for a settled policy for new nuclear deployment and will develop a new National Policy Statement (NPS), which will set out the planning policy for deploying new nuclear power stations beyond 2025. The new nuclear NPS will take account of changes in the nuclear landscape since the existing NPS was designated in 2011, including the potential for advanced technologies such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs). Government will consult later this year on a policy for how new nuclear developments could be sited in future.