Anglesey nuclear power plant set for planning boost

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Campaigners against the nuclear plant said the industry’s economics were “hopeless”

A stalled £13bn nuclear power scheme could get a planning boost later.

It could see talks restarted over funding Wylfa Newydd on Anglesey after Hitachi shelved the scheme, the biggest energy project ever proposed in Wales.

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom is widely expected to back the proposals, granting what is known as a development consent order (DCO).

Developers Horizon Nuclear Power said the decision would “heavily influence” how the project progresses.

Planning inspectors spent six months examining the plans and considering their impact on local people and the environment, before making a recommendation to the UK Government.

Their report is due to be published after Ms Leadsom makes her announcement.

About 9,000 workers were expected to be involved in building the two nuclear reactors, which were due to be operational by the mid-2020s, supplying up to five million homes for 60 years.

But Japanese energy giant Hitachi put plans on hold after failing to reach a deal with the UK Government over the price it would be paid for power from the site.

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There has been a long campaign against a new nuclear station

Since then ministers have been consulting on new ways to fund big, expensive nuclear projects.

Opponents of nuclear power have called on Ms Leadsom to dismiss the planning application and focus on renewable sources of electricity.

Dylan Morgan of People Against Wylfa-B said it was “obvious the developers are keen to get planning permission in order to try and sell the site”.

“But that’s easier said than done at the moment given the pretty perilous state of the global nuclear industry and the hopeless economics.”

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Magnox/BBC Wales

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The first Wylfa nuclear power station operated for 45 years

Horizon Nuclear Power – a subsidiary of Hitachi – said “a positive decision to grant our DCO would enable us to understand the conditions placed upon the project should the correct conditions for a restart be met”.

Dr Jenifer Baxter, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “There was never really a question that the planning permission for Wylfa Newydd wouldn’t be approved. It’s another barrier out of the way.

“The approval will make investment in this particular power station much more desirable for a wider group of investors, which opens up more opportunity for Wylfa Newydd to be built.”

The Planning Inspectorate said a panel of inspectors sent its recommendation report to the minister on 23 July after “people affected by the proposed project were able to give their views”.

Ms Leadsom has three months from that submission to decide whether or not to grant development consent.

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