When does the Cabinet Secretary anticipate the new proposed Wylfa nuclear power station will be fully operational to produce energy, and how will the Welsh Government ensure this energy is used to benefit Wales first and foremost?
There are three key steps to consider in a new Wylfa project timeline: -
i) Step 1 – UK Government needs to first decide the scale of the reactor design. Will it support a large GW+ reactor or will it prefer to see a number of small modular reactors deployed? There will then need to be a process to select the optimal technology design in support of the decision on scale. This will all likely take between 12 and 18 months to conclude.
ii) Step 2 – following any project initiation, the development phase (i.e site planning and design, technology licensing, seeking a Development Consent Order, building an operating company etc.) is likely to take 4-5 years.
iii) Step 3 – the average construction time globally for a large-scale nuclear project is around 6 to 8 years. However, EDF’s projects across Europe that have adopted the European Pressurised Reactor technology (e.g. Hinkley Point C) are taking considerably longer to complete.
Taking all this into consideration, a new development at Wylfa is unlikely to be fully operational before the late 2030’s.
Electricity produced by large scale projects in the UK is fed directly into the National Grid to serve and benefit the whole of the UK. The electricity produced from a new Wylfa project will similarly feed into the Grid. Where Wales is likely to benefit directly from a new Wylfa project is in the considerable socio-economic benefits that will emerge from several hundred long-term, high-quality jobs on site for in excess of 60 years and significant opportunities within the supply chain.