THE site of the former Wylfa station on Anglesey has been singled out in the UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy amid hopes that it will be chosen to have a new nuclear plant built on it.

The strategy could help to see 95 per cent of Britain’s electricity be low carbon by 2030, as well as supporting more than 40,000 jobs in clean industries.

A new government body, “Great British Nuclear”, will be set up immediately to bring forward new projects, backed by substantial funding.

The Government said it will also launch the £120million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund in April, saying: “We will work to progress a series of projects as soon as possible this decade, including Wylfa site in Anglesey.

“This could mean delivering up to eight reactors, equivalent to one reactor a year instead of one a decade, accelerating nuclear in Britain.”

Wylfa Newydd was a proposed project to construct a 2,700 station with two ABWR reactors in Anglesey.

The site is empty, but has being earmarked by the UK Government as a potential site for nuclear power expansion in Britain.

This follows a visit to the island from Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in January.

Virginia Crosbie, MP for Ynys Môn, hailed a “huge day” for the island.

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She said: Today is a huge day for Ynys Môn and I couldn’t be more pleased to see the Wylfa site specifically mentioned in this ground-breaking and brilliant strategy to boost clean energy and give the UK the energy security it needs.

“The news of a new government body setting to work immediately with the sole aim of bringing forward new nuclear projects, backed by substantial funding, is exactly what I have campaigned for as the MP for this wonderful island and as the chair of the Nuclear Delivery Group.

“I am absolutely thrilled.

“My stated aim has always been to bring jobs and investment to Ynys Môn and this is the Holy Grail as far as I am concerned – putting this island back at the heart of the nuclear industry where it belongs and where islanders want it to be.

“But there is more for the Energy Isle to savour in this strategy. Hydrogen, solar and offshore wind are all huge opportunities for us on Anglesey in the decades to come.

“There have been announcements and optimism before but this is different. The UK Government is showing its commitment and ambition to a wholesale change in how we power our nation with big nuclear and SMRs front and centre.

“It will require drive and there will be problems to solve and opportunities to grasp.

“The journey continues but I am confident we are now entering a new stage and one full of hope and optimism that the jobs and investment our island needs are now just around the corner and the possibilities are endless.”

Though, Rhun ap Iorwerth, MS for Ynys Môn, criticised the Government’s “on/off/on/off” stance with Wylfa, saying it had treated its communities with “real disregard”.

Mr ap Iorwerth said: “What kind of Government suddenly decides that an energy strategy is needed as if it’s a new idea?

“They could have been forging ahead already, on nuclear and on vast renewables generation. Instead, families are struggling with crippling energy costs.

“We’ve been at this point before with Wylfa, and it’s UK Government that failed to deliver, not us locally.

“Now, we’re years behind where we were, with a need to start again with the work of trying to look after the interests of the island – how to maximise economic benefits whilst mitigating against the significant challenges we’d inevitably face.

“And with no funding in place, it’s still an ‘if’, of course.

“This is a Government that’s been more interested in holding on to power than keeping the power on.

“And with its on/off/on/off stance on Wylfa, it’s treated Ynys Môn’s communities with real disregard.”

Isle of Anglesey County Council’s chief executive, Dylan J Williams, meanwhile, welcomed the announcement with cautious optimism.

Mr Williams said: “There now appears to be real impetus within the UK Government to bring new nuclear to Wylfa, as part of a secure future energy mix which would reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and meet net zero targets.

"It is vital, of course, that we take lessons learnt from our experiences of past nuclear development on Anglesey and ensure that they positively influence future plans.

“We remain committed to hosting a nuclear power station on Anglesey on the condition that it delivers long term transformational benefits – in terms of local jobs, supply chain opportunities, and prosperity for our communities and residents.

"Respecting the island’s communities, safeguarding the Welsh language and culture and protecting the environment as well as a commitment to meaningful public engagement remain important red lines.

“We are ready to continue to collaborate with the UK Government to develop and deliver the new Wylfa project.

"The council’s previous experience of working on a nuclear project and our understanding of the island and its communities need to be fully utilised.

“Having previously worked with Horizon Nuclear Power, who were behind the proposed Wylfa Newydd project, we also have a strong indication of the significant economic and community benefits that new nuclear can bring a community.

"Any future development at Wylfa must bring major and long-term socio-economic benefits for our island and communities.”

The county council launched its own "Anglesey Energy Island Programme" in 2010.

Today, it continues to see the public, private and third sectors working together to put Anglesey at the forefront of low carbon energy and create significant economic rewards.

Anglesey’s head of regulation and economic development, Christian Branch, added: “Our priority now will be to continue to engage with both UK and Welsh Government, potential developers and regional stakeholders to ensure that Wylfa is at the forefront of their thinking.

“A new nuclear power station at Wylfa has the potential to transform the economy of Anglesey, particularly the north of the island, and the whole of North Wales.

"It would be a significant enabler to create substantial jobs and supply chain opportunities for generations to come.

“However, we are also very mindful that the voices, needs and concerns of neighbouring villages and towns of the host community must be taken fully into account throughout the development of the Wylfa project.”

The Government’s plans also include:

• Offshore wind: A new ambition of up to 50GW by 2030 – more than enough to power every home in the UK – of which we would like to see up to 5GW from floating offshore wind in deeper seas. This will be underpinned by new planning reforms to cut the approval times for new offshore wind farms from four years to one, and an overall streamlining which will radically reduce the time it takes for new projects to reach construction stages while improving the environment.

• Oil and gas: A licensing round for new North Sea oil and gas projects planned to launch in autumn, with a new taskforce providing bespoke support to new developments.

• Onshore wind: The Government will be consulting on developing partnerships with a limited number of supportive communities who wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure in return for guaranteed lower energy bills.

• Heat pump manufacturing: The Government will run a Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition in 2022 worth up to £30m to make British heat pumps, which reduce demand for gas.