Business

Wales warned it could miss out again on nuclear jobs boom

Published

8 months ago

October 24, 2025

Commons Committee tells UK ministers to confirm Wylfa plans and fix broken planning system

THE UK GOVERNMENT has been warned that years of drift and delay could see Wales miss out once again on a major jobs and investment boom in nuclear power, after MPs said there is still “no clear plan” for the future of the Wylfa site on Anglesey.

In a major report published on Friday (Oct 24), the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committeecalled for a “one-stop shop” to cut through red tape and end the costly gridlock slowing Britain’s low-carbon energy ambitions.
The Committee said that Great British Energy–Nuclear (GBE-N) — the government-owned developer now responsible for new nuclear projects — must confirm its plans for Wylfa and Oldbury-on-Severn “without further delay”.

Wales’s flagship site ‘stuck in limbo’

The cross-party report, led by Labour MP Bill Esterson, describes Wylfa as a “flagship site” for the UK’s clean energy future, but warns that confusion over planning rules, duplication between regulators, and lack of ministerial direction are deterring private investment.

“The draft EN-7 makes a strong case for new nuclear,” Mr Esterson said. “But GB Energy-Nuclear needs to make clear their plans for flagship sites at Oldbury and Wylfa. These sites have the potential to truly accelerate new nuclear in the UK.”

The Committee said government policy remains “fragmented and contradictory” — with ministers claiming to favour a market-led approach, yet unable to provide the strategic guidance and guarantees developers need to build gigawatt-scale reactors.
It urged the Government to set out a detailed plan of what type of nuclear technology it wants deployed, where, and when — and to publish deployment timelines for Wylfa before the end of the year.

A missed opportunity for Wales?

The warning will strike a familiar chord in North Wales.
In 2020, Japanese firm Hitachi pulled out of plans to build a new power station at Wylfa Newydd, leaving hundreds of skilled workers without jobs and the island’s economy reeling.

Anglesey had hoped to see thousands of construction and supply chain roles over the coming decade. Instead, the site has remained dormant — a fenced-off monument to Britain’s uncertain energy policy.

Local leaders say another delay would be disastrous. Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, the Plaid Cymru leader and Member for Ynys Môn, said earlier this year that “Wylfa can be a key part of Wales’s net zero future — but it must be delivered with long-term jobs for local people, not promises that never materialise.”

Calls for a ‘one-stop shop’ for nuclear projects

At the heart of the MPs’ report is a damning assessment of the UK’s regulatory system.
Developers currently face multiple overlapping reviews from planning authorities, environmental regulators and the Office for Nuclear Regulation, with each process adding new costs, delays and risk of legal challenge.

The Committee says this “fragmented and duplicated” framework is stifling progress and discouraging the kind of fleet-based approach that could deliver reactors faster and cheaper.
It recommends creating a single “one-stop shop” regulator for nuclear power — bringing planning, safety and environmental decisions under one umbrella while maintaining high standards.

Without that reform, MPs warn, the new national planning framework (known as EN-7) will “fail to deliver the joined-up approach” the nuclear industry needs.

Local rewards must be clear

The Committee also said developers must do more to prove that host communities will share the rewards of new projects.

Large power stations such as Wylfa could transform regional economies by providing hundreds of high-skill, long-term jobs. But smaller modular reactors — which require fewer on-site workers — may offer less visible benefits to local people.

The report calls on the Government to expand its guidance on how developers can deliver lasting value to host communities, suggesting measures such as full business-rate retention for councils, infrastructure investment in local roads and rail, and binding local employment quotas similar to those agreed at Sizewell C in Suffolk.

Unite Wales regional secretary Peter Hughes said: “Wales has the skills and the workforce ready to build the next generation of power stations. But we need certainty — not more years of indecision. A clear plan for Wylfa would mean good union jobs for Welsh workers and contracts for local firms.”

Pembrokeshire’s place in the energy mi

While the focus of the Committee’s report is on North Wales, its findings carry wider significance for West Wales. Pembrokeshire already plays a leading role in the UK’s low-carbon transition — from the Dragon LNG terminal and South Hook to the planned Celtic Sea floating wind projects and the emerging Hydrogen Hub at Milford Haven.

Experts say a revived nuclear sector could complement these efforts by providing stable “baseload” power when renewables are offline.

Energy consultant Dr Gareth Davies, who advises Marine Energy Wales, told The Herald: “Wales can lead the UK in clean energy if we get the balance right — nuclear for consistency, renewables for innovation. But government indecision risks us falling behind.”

Outdated population rules ‘a brake on progress’

MPs also took aim at an obscure planning rule known as the Semi-Urban Population Density Criterion, which bans new reactors within a set radius of built-up areas.
Originally drawn up in the 1960s to protect against accidents at early-generation reactors, the formula is now seen as outdated and opaque.

The Committee said the rule has become a “de facto brake” on new development — preventing expansion at existing sites such as Heysham and Hartlepool — and called on ministers to publish a modern, transparent map of eligible areas across England and Wales.

They recommended that the Office for Nuclear Regulation be asked to devise a new, risk-based approach that reflects advances in reactor safety, including smaller modular designs.

Jobs, pride and opportunity

For people living around Cemaes Bay, the Wylfa site still looms large — both physically and emotionally.
The original Wylfa A station, which closed in 2015, was one of Wales’s largest employers, providing steady work for generations of families.

“It’s heartbreaking to see it empty,” said one former maintenance engineer, who asked not to be named. “We were told a new plant was coming, and then nothing. Young people have moved away because there’s no future here. If they mean to rebuild it, they need to get on with it.”

With construction of Sizewell C in Suffolk now under way, industry observers fear that Wales could once again be left on the sidelines — despite possessing one of the best-suited nuclear sites in Europe.

A crossroads for Welsh energy

The report underlines a broader question about Wales’s role in the UK’s energy system.
Wales already exports more electricity than it consumes, yet critics say local communities rarely see the financial return.

Professor Calvin Jones of Cardiff Business School has argued that major projects “too often generate income for London but little benefit for Wales.”
That tension is reflected in the Committee’s call for a fairer deal — one that ensures business rates, infrastructure funding and supply-chain contracts stay in the regions that host the power.

As one industry source told The Herald: “If Westminster gets this wrong, we won’t just lose Wylfa. We’ll lose the chance for Wales to lead the next generation of clean energy.”

Business

Wales unemployment close to UK rate as ministers promise productivity push

Published

30 minutes ago

June 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WALES’ unemployment rate is broadly in line with the UK average, according to the latest labour market figures.

The Welsh Government said figures from the Annual Population Survey showed unemployment among people aged 16 and over in Wales at 4.5%, compared with 4.4% across the UK.

Ministers said Wales’ employment rate was also “relatively close” to its all-time high, but acknowledged that official labour market data should be treated with caution because of continuing concerns over reliability.

The figures come as the newly elected Welsh Government seeks to put productivity at the centre of its economic agenda.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “As a newly elected Government we are committed to driving investment, innovation and higher productivity across Wales.

“We have announced a National Productivity Goal to close the gap with the rest of the UK and help unlock the full potential of the Welsh economy.

“By focusing on productivity, we will deliver more jobs, higher pay, stronger businesses and thriving communities.”

The Government says the new goal will help shape the work of its planned Welsh innovation and development agency, including how it supports businesses, develops skills and invests in the wider economy.

However, ministers also said Wales’ labour market appears to be following similar trends to the UK as a whole.

They pointed to ongoing work by the Office for National Statistics to improve the quality of Labour Force Survey data, saying the figures should be read alongside other labour market indicators to get a clearer picture.

The Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, is seeking a meeting with the ONS to discuss the reliability of labour market data for Wales.

Business

Crackwell Street closure extended again as Tenby traders voice frustration

Published

3 days ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

TRADERS in Tenby have been left frustrated after Pembrokeshire County Council extended the closure of Crackwell Street once again.

The street, which provides direct access to Tenby Harbour, has been closed for several months to allow scaffolding work to be carried out at Goscar House.

It had been due to reopen on Friday, but the council has now extended the closure until June 19.

Local businesses say the repeated delays have affected trade, with concerns that the ongoing closure is making access to the harbour area more difficult during a busy period for the town.

The road remains closed while scaffolding is in place at the property.

Caption:

Ongoing closure: Scaffolding remains in place on Crackwell Street, Tenby (Pic: Malcolm Richards).

Business

Celtic Freeport five-year plan puts Milford Haven at centre of green energy future

Published

3 days ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Strategy promises investment, skilled jobs and new supply chains, but major barriers remain over grid connections, planning and delivery

THE CELTIC FREEPORT has published a new five-year strategy setting out how Milford Haven and Port Talbot will be used to attract major investment, create jobs and build a new low-carbon industrial economy across South and West Wales.

The plan, published today, Monday (Jun 15), says the Freeport will focus on renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, port infrastructure, floating offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, carbon capture, cleaner steel and low-carbon logistics.

For Pembrokeshire, the strategy places Milford Haven at the heart of plans to modernise port infrastructure, support future energy projects and create new employment and training opportunities for local people.

The Celtic Freeport spans sites in Milford Haven and Port Talbot and is backed by a public-private partnership involving Associated British Ports, Camplas, Dragon LNG, Impala, Ledwood Mechanical Engineering, Neath Port Talbot Council, the Port of Milford Haven, RWE and Pembrokeshire County Council.

Over a 25-year period, the Freeport is projected to deliver more than £8bn of investment and create 11,500 jobs.

Focus on Milford Haven

The five-year strategy says the Freeport will help enable major port infrastructure upgrades to support the roll-out of floating offshore wind.

Milford Haven is already one of the UK’s most important energy ports, and the plan makes clear that the area is expected to play a major role in the transition from traditional energy industries to cleaner fuels and renewable power.

The document says the Freeport will work to attract investment into key sectors including offshore wind, hydrogen, solar, batteries, sustainable aviation fuel, ammonia, pipelines, carbon capture and storage, and advanced manufacturing.

It also says the Freeport wants to create a stronger local supply chain so that businesses in Pembrokeshire and the wider region can benefit from major industrial development, rather than seeing work and contracts go elsewhere.

The strategy says one of the aims is to ensure local businesses and landowners are supported in accessing capital and external investment for land remediation, infrastructure upgrades and priority projects.

Jobs and skills

A major part of the plan focuses on skills, training and local employment.

The Freeport says it wants to create a “sustainable talent pipeline” where local people can see future job opportunities and receive support with upskilling, career advice and connections to employers.

The strategy says this will include work with schools, colleges, trade unions, local authorities and employers to identify future skills gaps and create employment pathways.

Pembrokeshire College is named among the education partners expected to help deliver workforce transition and future skills for both existing energy industries and new green energy sectors.

The plan also says the Freeport will look at ways to support economically inactive people into work and will consider using some funding to establish a community fund focused on projects that visibly benefit local people, including possible support for transport-related challenges.

Investment and infrastructure

The strategy sets out four main priorities for the next five years.

These are driving capital investment into key Freeport industries, helping landowners progress development projects, exploring local supply chain innovation and decarbonisation, and laying the foundations for a thriving skills market.

The Freeport says it will deliver a £25m seed capital programme by the end of 2028/29 and will prioritise at least two seed capital projects in 2026, subject to agreements on governance and funding.

Business cases for selected projects are expected to be prepared during 2026 before being considered by the Celtic Freeport board. If projects are no longer considered feasible, the strategy says a reallocation process will be required.

The Freeport also plans to build a pipeline of future investment projects using retained non-domestic rates, with revenues expected to begin flowing back from 2028.

The document says business development and marketing will be used to attract high-value tenants to priority sites, including through international investment campaigns and sector-specific proposals.

Planning and grid issues

The plan acknowledges that major development is not straightforward.

It says businesses face challenges including grid connection issues, planning delays, policy uncertainty and the high upfront cost of infrastructure.

To tackle this, the Freeport says it will work with the UK and Welsh Governments, Natural Resources Wales, local authorities and public investment bodies to remove barriers and unlock private investment.

It will also hold monthly meetings with landowners to monitor progress, identify delivery problems and escalate strategic risks where necessary.

Governance and public accountability

The strategy also sets out plans to expand the Freeport’s governance arrangements.

The current board includes representatives from Milford Haven Port Authority, Associated British Ports, Pembrokeshire County Council and Neath Port Talbot Council.

The Freeport says this structure will be expanded to include non-executive directors and representatives from key landowners and business operators.

The plan also includes commitments to publish board schedules and minutes, hold one public board meeting each year, organise an annual community open day, run skills and employment sessions in schools, and hold local job fairs and apprenticeship roadshows as opportunities grow.

Trade unions are also expected to have a formal route into the process through a workers’ consultative forum, with the strategy saying unions will help inform skills interventions, fair work principles and employment priorities.

Cathy Hall, Interim CEO of the Celtic Freeport, said: “This Five-Year Plan sets out how the Celtic Freeport will support businesses across the region to decarbonise, grow and access new opportunities.

“We will be focussing on delivering projects to consolidate the region’s strong industrial future.”

The publication of the plan marks an important moment for Pembrokeshire, where hopes of long-term industrial renewal are closely tied to Milford Haven’s role in energy, ports and marine engineering.

Supporters say the Freeport could bring major investment and skilled jobs to the county.

But the success of the plan will depend on whether the promised benefits are felt locally, whether Pembrokeshire firms can win work from the new supply chains, and whether young people in the county are given a realistic route into the jobs created by the green industrial transition.