Leading industry bodies have welcomed the news that the UK is set to take a £5bn stake in Hitachi’s nuclear plant in Wales.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Nuclear Industry Association have both come out in support of the government’s decision to open “commercial discussions” with the Japanese conglomerate over the Wylfa Newydd site in Anglesey.
Institution of Mechanical Engineers Engineering Policy Adviser Matt Rooney labelled the decision as “a major development” as the UK attempts to “bolster the long-term outlook for the nuclear manufacturing supply chain”.
“The Institution of Mechanical Engineers welcomes this step towards a firm decision on a new nuclear power station at the Wylfa Newydd site in Wales. Once built, it will provide large quantities of reliable low-carbon electricity, helping the UK meet its decarbonisation targets under the Climate Change Act,” he said.
Nuclear Industry Association chief executive Tom Greatrex said: “Today’s announcement, which reiterated UK government support for civil nuclear as a vital element of a future low carbon power supply and confirmed the Horizon Wylfa Newydd project as the next element of our new build programme, is good news towards meeting our decarbonisation targets.