UK Inquiry Tracker

Nuclear energy in Wales

Welsh Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 26 May 2022 Closed: 16 Oct 2023 Parliament page

The Welsh Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry looking at Nuclear energy in Wales . It will consider Wales’ role in the UK Government’s nuclear ambitions, the economic impact of a new nuclear power station at Wylfa and the development of nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors. Read inquiry … Read more

9 Recommendations

8 Conclusions

2 Reports

5 Oral sessions

5 Events

Activity timeline 14 events

7 Jul
2023

Report published

Fifth Special Report - Nuclear energy in Wales: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report

7 Jul
2023

Report published

Fifth Special Report - Nuclear energy in Wales: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report

3 May
2023

Report published

Third Report - Nuclear energy in Wales

3 May
2023

Report published

Ynni Niwclear yng Nghymru - Crynodeb

22 Feb
2023

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

22 Feb
2023

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster

Committee event

25 Jan
2023

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

25 Jan
2023

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster

Committee event

14 Dec
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

14 Dec
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster

Committee event

16 Nov
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

16 Nov
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

Committee event

Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions

22 Feb 2023

View on parliament.uk

Alan Raymant · Cwmni Egino Kiera Harper · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Rt Hon David TC Davies MP · Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Simon Bowen · Great British Nuclear

25 Jan 2023

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Alastair Evans · Rolls Royce SMR Ivan Baldwin · Bechtel Mark Salisbury · Rolls -Royce SMR Rory O'Neill · Westinghouse

14 Dec 2022

View on parliament.uk

Beccy Pleasant · Nuclear Skills Strategy Group Daniel Maney · Prospect Jasbir Sidhu · Nuclear Institute Professor Bill Lee · Bangor University

16 Nov 2022

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Darryl Murphy · Aviva Investors Julia Pyke · Sizewell C Tom Greatrex · Nuclear Industry Association

19 Oct 2022

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Dr Doug Parr · Greenpeace UK Dr Michael Bluck · Imperial College London Dr William Bodel · Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester Linda Rogers · PAWB (People Against Wylfa B) Neil Crumpton · PAWB (People Against Wylfa B) Professor Adrian Bull · Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester

Reports 2 reports · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Third Report - Nuclear energy in Wales	HC 240	3 May 2023	17	Responded
Ynni Niwclear yng Nghymru - Crynodeb	HC 240	3 May 2023	0	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 results

8 Conclusion Acknowledged

Third Report - Nuclear energy in W…

Financing new nuclear projects at Wylfa faces ongoing challenges despite the RAB model.

The introduction of the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model is welcomed as a better alternative to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme for nuclear developments. However, financing new nuclear projects is not straightforward and there will still be challenges under … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the complexities of financing nuclear projects under the RAB model and reiterates its belief that the model encourages private investment while protecting consumers. They outline existing mechanisms like value for money assessments, the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Act 2022, and Ofgem's regulatory oversight to manage risks and ensure financial commitment.

Wales Office

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10 Conclusion Acknowledged

Third Report - Nuclear energy in W…

Inclusion of nuclear energy in green taxonomy will unlock new private investment.

We welcome the UK Government’s announcement that nuclear energy will be included in the green taxonomy, subject to consultation. We consider that this will unlock new avenues of private investment for nuclear development and send the signals needed to the … Read more

Government Response

The government welcomes Hitachi's continued stewardship of the Wylfa Newydd site and has a positive relationship and dialogue with all nuclear site owners, but no decisions have been taken over which technologies future projects will proceed with, or at which sites.

Wales Office

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11 Conclusion Acknowledged

Third Report - Nuclear energy in W…

New nuclear developments could significantly boost the North Wales regional economy and job creation.

New nuclear developments at Wylfa or Trawsfynydd could be a game-changer for the north Wales regional economy. Such projects would play an important role in the UK Government’s Levelling-Up agenda by bringing high-skilled, well-paid, long-term job opportunities to a rural … Read more

Government Response

The government welcomes the committee's session and recognises the potential significant impact of new nuclear developments on the North Wales economy, noting the strong local interest and support.

Wales Office

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17 Recommendation Acknowledged

Third Report - Nuclear energy in W…

Require UK Government to explain plans for resolving the lack of utility developers in nuclear.

One of the significant missing parts of the future of nuclear development is the lack of a utility developer in the UK, other than EDF-related companies. We recommend that the UK Government explains its plans to resolve this problem and … Read more One of the significant missing parts of the future of nuclear development is the lack of a utility developer in the UK, other than EDF-related companies. We recommend that the UK Government explains its plans to resolve this problem and whether there is a role for Great British Nuclear to play. (Paragraph 80) Nuclear energy in Wales 29 Written evidence: Letter from Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP, Chair, to the Prime Minister, 3 March 2023 Dear Prime Minister, I am writing ahead of the UK Budget announcement on 15 March 2023 to draw your attention to the representations made to us during my Committee’s inquiry into Nuclear energy in Wales. I would like to extend my thanks again to the Secretary of State for Wales and the Minister of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero for giving their time to attend our Committee meeting on 22 February. The Committee launched this inquiry following the publication in April 2022 of the British Energy Security Strategy, which set out the Government’s ambitions for 24GW of nuclear energy by 2050 and the creation of Great British Nuclear. Simon Bowen, advisor to the Government on the establishment of Great British Nuclear, told my Committee that “it will be disastrous if we waited another two years” because the “whole of the industry will lose faith” and that “we’ve got to have the courage to take an inter-generational view […] for low carbon and net zero”. The Strategy named Wylfa, north Wales, as a potential site for a new nuclear project. Since then, we have heard of growing concerns of a loss of momentum in delivery of the Government’s Strategy and consequently, further uncertainty over the future of the Wylfa site. We have heard from a wide range of industry representatives that Wylfa is considered the best site in the UK for new nuclear development. Indeed, it is difficult to see how Government can deliver its nuclear ambitions without taking forward a project at Wylfa. There is a strong view within the Committee that Show less

Government Response

The government acknowledges the challenges faced by past nuclear projects and states that Great British Nuclear (GBN) will aim to overcome hurdles and unlock barriers in the market to enable successful project delivery. However, it does not explicitly detail concrete plans to resolve the specific problem of a lack of a utility developer.

Wales Office

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Government Response AI assessment · 17 of 9 classified

Accepted 6

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 4

Deferred 3

Not Addressed 1

Rejected 2

Total 9 recs + 8 conclusions