The UK has selected the site for the first of a series of small nuclear power plants. On Wylfa on Anglesey, an island in the North Walesso-called Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) will be created. There was already an older model nuclear power plant at Wylfa, which closed in 2015.
The British government announced in June that it would invest 2.5 billion pounds (about 2.8 billion euros) in the new reactor. SMRs are cheaper and faster to build than large nuclear power plants. The British government hopes to quickly improve the country’s energy security and achieve climate goals.
The new mini reactors are expected to start operating in the 2030s and provide energy to three million households. The construction is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs.
The US criticizes UK energy policy
US Ambassador at United KingdomWarren A. Stephens, criticized the decision to build SMR at Wylfa. US President Donald Trump is a staunch opponent of UK energy policy. He repeatedly asked the British government to drill for oil in the North Sea. Regarding nuclear energy, the US government is encouraging the construction of large-scale nuclear power plants. The bilateral agreement was announced in September.
According to the British government, the expansion of nuclear energy should also include larger projects. State-owned energy company GB Energy Nuclear has been tasked with finding a suitable location for a large nuclear power plant by autumn 2026.
There are currently two large nuclear power stations under construction in the UK: Hinkley Point C in the west of England and Sizewell in the east of England. It will not be until mid-2023 that nuclear energy will be classified as environmentally friendly in the UK.
