THE newly elected Plaid Cymru MP for Ynys Môn, Llinos Medi, has today (July 18) asked her first question in the House of Commons.

She asked the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, Ed Miliband, what “specific plans” the new Labour UK Government had for new nuclear in Wylfa and Trawsfynydd.

Wylfa, an old nuclear power station in Ms Medi’s constituency, began generating electricity in 1971 and was decommissioned in 2015.

Horizon revealed plans for a new reactor at the site in 2009.

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In 2012, Hitachi bought Horizon for £700million, expecting to create up to 6,000 construction jobs and 1,200 long-term jobs.

But the plans were paused by the Conservative government in 2019 and scrapped altogether in 2021.

The government purchased the site shortly before this month’s general election, but did not advance plans for the development of a new power station.

The Labour manifesto said it will “end a decade of dithering that has seen the Conservatives duck decisions on nuclear power” and that nuclear “will play an important role in helping the UK achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs.”

Ms Medi pointed out that there was no mention of nuclear in the King’s Speech, and asked the secretary of state to outline “specific plans” for Wylfa and Trawsfynydd, another former nuclear power station in north-west Wales.

She said: “The Labour manifesto stated that building new nuclear power and small modular reactors will be important in developing new clean power, yet there was not a single mention yesterday in the King’s Speech about nuclear power.

“Can the secretary of state assure me that developing new nuclear power is still a priority for this government, and what are the specific plans for the Wylfa and Trawsfynydd sites in Wales?”

Mr Miliband replied: “I welcome her to her place.

“Let me just say to her that Great British Energy will of course have a strong interest in nuclear power, working with Great British Nuclear, and is very, very important for the future.

“This Government was very, very clear in its manifesto about the role that nuclear power can play, both large scale nuclear and SMRs, and I now that the last government purchased the site for Wylfa, and it’s something we will be certainly looking at.”

Speaking after the session, Ms Medi added: “The people of Ynys Môn, particularly those in the north of the island, have been promised the world by both the Conservatives and Labour when it comes to new nuclear in Wylfa.

“We now need certainty.

“In my previous role as council leader, I played a key role in getting plans in place to ensure that a new project would provide much needed high quality and long-term job, skills and supply chain opportunities.

“We also worked hard to make sure that any plan would fully respect the Island’s sense of place including its environment, culture and the Welsh language.

“Sadly, the Conservative government pulled the plug in 2019.

“Now, as the MP for Ynys Môn, I urge the new Labour government to provide a clear strategy to deliver a new nuclear project that works for the people of Ynys Môn, and for the wider Welsh economy.”