Work begins on Wylfa nuclear power station bringing 8,000 jobs

UK nuclear power station construction begins at Wylfa

Work has begun on a new nuclear power station at Wylfa on Anglesey, the UK government has confirmed, in a move expected to create 8,000 jobs across Wales and the wider country.

The announcement follows a £2.5 billion partnership signed last year between the government and Rolls-Royce SMR, which will develop three small modular reactors (SMRs) at the north-west Wales site. Rolls-Royce says the project will create 3,000 jobs local to Wylfa and a further 5,000 nationally.

SMRs differ from conventional nuclear reactors in how they are constructed. Rather than being built entirely on-site, the units are manufactured in a factory as modules and assembled at the location, a process designed to reduce costs and construction time compared with traditional large-scale reactors.

What the three reactors will deliver

The three units at Wylfa are projected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of around three million homes for more than 60 years. Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, described the launch as a historic step for clean power, industrial growth and skilled jobs in Wales, adding that Wylfa holds unique strengths as a site.

The project remains subject to a final investment decision, expected by the turn of the decade. Subject to planning and regulatory approvals, the SMRs are targeted to begin generating power in the 2030s.

A site with deep nuclear history

Wylfa has a long association with nuclear power. The original station operated on the Anglesey coast for 44 years after first generating electricity in 1971. Built in the 1960s, it employed thousands of workers before its last reactor was taken offline in 2015, after which the lengthy process of decommissioning began.

The choice of Wylfa for the UK's first SMR fleet reflects both the site's existing nuclear infrastructure and the government's aim to concentrate energy investment in areas with established industrial capacity.

Industry response to the agreement

Chris Cholerton, chief executive of Rolls-Royce SMR, said the deal represents the golden age of new nuclear being delivered with British technology. He noted that the signing of an early works agreement last year, which enabled site work to begin in Czechia, has brought certainty to the UK SMR programme.

Tom Greatrex said the project marks the beginning of a significant and exciting new phase for both the development and the people of Ynys Mon, adding it would bring significant investment to the area and help secure the country's long-term supply of reliable, low-carbon power.

Government frames project as energy security priority

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the development a major milestone for Britain's energy security. He linked the project directly to the government's ambition to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels, describing its clean energy mission as the route to taking back control of energy independence.

The government's selection of Wylfa follows sustained pressure from Welsh political figures and local business groups who have campaigned to revive the site since the previous project, backed by Japanese firm Hitachi, was shelved in 2020.

Industry Impact

The start of construction activity at Wylfa marks the clearest signal yet that the UK's SMR programme will advance beyond the design and planning phase. For the nuclear supply chain, the project provides a long-absent pipeline of domestic work after years of stalled development. Rolls-Royce's involvement also positions British-designed technology as a potential export product, with the Czechia works agreement already expanding the SMR model internationally. The final investment decision expected before 2030 will determine whether this momentum translates into committed capital, but the groundwork now under way shifts the programme from ambition to early execution.