Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) company newcleo has pledged to join Ynys Môn MP Virginia Crosbie’s local Jobs for Local People campaign if it invests on the island.
Virginia met with Andrew Murdoch, newcleo’s UK Managing Director on Anglesey last week. The British company is at the forefront of developing the next generation of nuclear reactors, for which it plans to use Mixed Oxide fuel (MOX).
Andrew visited as newcleo looks to find a site for its first UK reactor which it plans to have operating in the UK within the next 10 years. Together with Virginia Crosbie, he visited the Wylfa site and Stena Eco Park to meet the Freeport team and understand how newcleo could build a global supply chain opportunity as part of the Anglesey Freeport.
“Andrew told me that each AMR represents 300 local jobs for local people and, depending on how many AMRs are developed here, there is a potential for more than 2,000 good quality local jobs for local people for decades, so I asked him to join my Local Jobs for Local People campaign and he was happy to do so,” said Virginia.
“The freeport and the UK government’s commitment to new nuclear energy is the perfect recipe for Ynys Môn and I continue to push for companies, like newcleo, to come to the island to see what we can offer in terms of sites but also the opportunity of a freeport.
“I also made it clear I think Wylfa is the best place in the UK for nuclear, a point Andrew recognises well from his previous experience of working on the Wylfa project.
“All this will not happen overnight. But the UK Government’s commitment to new nuclear is very real and Wylfa’s part to play is tangible so I will continue to bang the drum for the investment and jobs we need for islanders.”
Andrew said: “I am delighted to support Virginia Crosbie’s 'Local Jobs for Local People' campaign and I thank her for meeting with me. Having previously worked on the Wylfa project for five years, I fully understand the benefit a nuclear project of this size can bring to the local area.”
newcleo wants a fleet of 20 AMRs in the UK generating 4GW of electricity or enough to power eight million homes without the need to mine any natural uranium. The UK Government target is 24GW of nuclear power by 2050 - up from 6GW currently.
