Government urged to step in as Wylfa nuclear power station is ‘on the brink’, says Unite
Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, has joined the chorus of concern over the future of the Wylfa nuclear power station.
Hitachi, the company behind the new nuclear power station, said ‘no formal decision’ has been made over its future, following a media report that construction would be halted.
Unite national officer for energy Peter McIntosh said: “We believe it may be commercial reasons that are influencing the Hitachi management due to rising costs.
“This is compounded by the government’s stand-offish approach to the formal negotiations with the company which have been dragging on since last June.
“The project appears to be teetering on the brink which would be a really big set-back for the UK’s future energy policy.
“Government must take action now, because if the project does not proceed, it will have a devastating impact on the Welsh economy and on the UK’s ability to meet its climate change obligations.
“It is astonishing that when prime minister Theresa May met her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe this week that the project was never discussed. This was an abdication of responsibility by Theresa May.
“Business secretary Greg Clark needs to take a more active involvement in ensuring the Wylfa project moves forward in a timely fashion. The future energy supply of the country cannot be left to the whims of market alone.”
The Nikkei Asian Review has reported Hitachi's board would be likely to decide to suspend all work on the Wylfa Newydd plant on Anglesey next week. In December, the firm said it would do its utmost to ensure the £20bn nuclear power facility went ahead.
