Imminent Wylfa power plant deal can’t be a one-off, Prospect says

Prospect senior deputy general secretary Sue Ferns speaking ahead of a likely announcement on the Wylfa nuclear power plant said:

 

“The government’s decision to take a direct stake in the Wylfa nuclear power plant is a sensible move that needs to be adopted for wider UK energy policy decisions to allow a low-carbon infrastructure to be fully developed.

 

“By taking a share in this project the costs can be lowered, work can be directed to UK companies and the UK’s skills base can be developed. In order to capitalise on this the government must take a similar approach to other sites such as Moorside in Cumbria.

 

“Rather than choosing one energy infrastructure model over another, the government must take a broad view and recognise that other projects such as the Swansea tidal lagoon also have an important role in building energy resilience and capacity and would benefit from similar funding models.

 

“This decision can not be viewed as a one-off and needed to be seen as a wider deal. There are many challenges ahead: Brexit, our climate targets and the need to renew our energy infrastructure. The energy sector needs to see this latest change as the start of a new approach.”