The UK government has confirmed two linked programmes for North Wales: the development of small modular reactors at Wylfa on Anglesey and the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Growth Zone for the region. The Wylfa scheme is described as a £2.5 billion project that would initially deliver three small modular reactors, with scope for up to eight, and is expected to support around 3,000 new jobs. Subject to final contracts, Great British Energy-Nuclear will build the development and Rolls-Royce SMR is proposed to design it. The ambition is for the Wylfa reactors to begin supplying power to the grid from the mid 2030s, delivering the equivalent of electricity for roughly 3 million homes.
The Artificial Intelligence Growth Zone will straddle the Menai Strait, with bases at Prosperity Parc on Anglesey and Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd. The government says the zone is expected to create more than 3,400 jobs and that work is underway to secure an investment partner to help deliver the site, with construction to start once a deal is confirmed. The zone is being driven by a consortium that includes Stena Line alongside regional partners such as Isle of Anglesey County Council and Bangor University. Stena Line’s Prosperity Parc is described as a low carbon, 220-acre technology park at the heart of the zone, forecast at peak to generate up to £578 million of local economic growth a year and to create about 1,200 permanent jobs plus around 890 construction roles and wider supply chain opportunities.
Local leaders and organisations welcomed the twin announcements as transformational. Isle of Anglesey County Council chief executive Dylan J. Williams said the combined projects would accelerate investment and deliver significant jobs and socio-economic benefits across North Wales, while Stena Line’s executive director Ian Hampton highlighted that clean energy from Wylfa would support the technology park ambitions. Ambition North Wales representatives including Mark Pritchard and Alwen Williams also endorsed the developments and urged rapid action from policymakers and investors to realise jobs, upskilling, supply chain and community benefits for the region.
