Wylfa can set the standard for delivering major energy infrastructure
3 min read
With Wylfa set to host the UK’s first new SMRs, Llinos Medi, Plaid Cymru Spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, writes that major energy infrastructure succeeds only when governments, developers and communities work in partnership
The confirmation on 13 November 2025 that Wylfa on Ynys Môn would host the first fleet of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) marked more than a milestone in UK energy policy. It signalled a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise the island’s economy, and to demonstrate how a major infrastructure project can be delivered successfully when governments, developers and communities work together.
The opportunity is clear. Three SMRs at Wylfa could generate up to 3,000 local jobs at the height of construction and sustain hundreds more over the long term.
Outside of direct jobs, local businesses and supply chains could also benefit hugely from their involvement in the project. Once operational, the reactors are expected to power the equivalent of around three million homes, strengthening the UK’s energy security for decades to come.
But the benefits extend beyond economics and energy.
A new nuclear development at Wylfa has the potential to reinforce the island’s linguistic and cultural identity. For members of the nuclear workforce who left Wales for opportunities elsewhere, this project could offer a pathway home.
With thoughtful planning, the use of the Welsh language can be embedded throughout both construction and operation, making a powerful statement that major projects can strengthen, rather than dilute, local culture.
Yet the success of this first-of-its-kind development will depend on one principle above all: partnership. With the initial three reactors scheduled to begin generating power in the middle of the next decade, and the possibility of up to five more in the future, delivery must be collaborative and grounded in local experience to maximise the project’s full potential and to guard against any unwanted outcomes.
That means developers and the UK government must work hand in hand with the people of Ynys Môn. The island’s long relationship with nuclear energy is an asset, not an afterthought. Our communities have over 65 years of nuclear heritage from the previous Magnox nuclear project at Wylfa; developers and the government should draw from this deep well of knowledge to set the project up for success.
It also means working hand in hand with Anglesey County Council, whose Energy Island Programme has already laid the groundwork for the project by bringing together public, private and third-sector partners to position the island as a hub for clean energy innovation.
As the former leader of the council, I have firsthand experience of its commitment to enabling responsible development and ensuring that planning processes support, rather than hinder, strategic investment.
There will also need to be close collaboration with the Welsh government, as well as the area’s colleges and universities, such as Coleg Llandrillo Menai and Bangor University, which are already doing fantastic work in equipping local people with the skills they need to be a part of the workforce to deliver and sustain the project.
North Wales already has the institutions and talent; what is needed now is alignment and direction from the UK. The strong existing partnerships between Anglesey County Council
and the local education sector must be used to ensure that the pipeline of local skilled workers, engineers and scientists is ready to feed into delivering three SMRs at Wylfa.
If the UK government, the developers and our island community move forward together, Wylfa can become a shining example of how the UK can deliver major energy infrastructure with respect for people, place and a commitment to spreading prosperity fairly.
