With 10 years left for the decommissioning of the former Nuclear Power Station, the Snowdonia Enterprise Zone is considering options for the future of the Trawfynydd site.

This consideration is in order to meet the needs of the regional economy and the local community, and to provide high quality employment opportunities for youngsters in the area.

Since electricity generation began at Trawsfynydd in 1965, the power station has continued to employ several hundred people, peaking at almost 1,000 during decommissioning, with many of them in relatively well paid, skilled employment.

The Snowdonia Enterprise Zone is now looking at the long term alternative uses for the site to sustain some of the higher than average salaraies in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, an area of low employemnt opportunities.

Chair of their Advisory Board, John Idris Jones said:

“There are currently around 200 core and agency staff on site, but this will reduce to zero over the next ten years. We need to think seriously about the future of Trawsfynydd, to try to keep the high level of skills of many of the workers involved here over the years, and to provide opportunities for future generations.”

The Station ceased the production of electricity in 1991, and has been decommissioning since then.

The Enterprise Zone has considered a number of different energy options for the site, and concluded that, to maximise the number of high quality jobs created, Trawsfynydd could  become a location for the development of the UK’s first small scale modular nuclear reactor, with all its accompanying academic and industrial research opportunities. This includes opportunities for  the production of radio-isotopes used in modern medicine for diagnoses and treatment.

John Idris Jones is a chartered physicist and consultant in low carbon energy development.

He continued:

“Having researched this thoroughly and reached this conclusion, we need to see how we can work with partners  promoting a potential new installation at Trawsfynydd to ensure we sustain economic activity in the region and offer young, skilled local people a reason to stay here.

“Through Trawsfynydd, Tanygrisiau and Dinorwig, there is a heritage in creating quality jobs in electrity generation in Gwynedd. As part of the UK’s future energy mix, we see an opportunity to  attract the UK’s first small modular reactor  to Trawsfynydd, similar in output to the previous reactors, but much smaller in scale, requiring less funding and less time to install. We also see an opportunity for the production of radio isotopes used for medical diagnoses and treatment.”

An anticipated 2,500 jobs would be created at the peak of the proposed new activitiy, with 250 permanent jobs in the long term, and significant opportunities for supply chain development across north Wales.