MP dismisses US criticism of Welsh nuclear plant plan

ED Miliband has said he makes “no apologies” for the UK's decision to choose Rolls-Royce to work on its first “small modular reactor” nuclear power station despite US criticism.

- HELEN CORBETT, EMILY BEAMENT

The first-of-its-kind project will be built at Wylfa, on Anglesey/Ynys Mon in North Wales by publicly owned Great British Energy-Nuclear with £2.5 billion in backing from the Government.

The reactors will be designed by Britain’s Rolls-Royce SMR, subject to final contract.

US Ambassador Warren Stephens issued a strong rebuke of the plans, saying Washington is “extremely disappointed” by the decision.

The ambassador had been pushing for a larger reactor at Wylfa, and US firm Westinghouse had reportedly presented plans to the UK Government to build a new gigawatt station at the site.

The Energy Secretary, inset, told Times Radio: “It's true he doesn’t think it’s so great.

“The reason he doesn’t think it’s so great is because he wanted a US company to be at this site.

“Because he thinks it’s the prime site ... I totally understand that, it’s completely legitimate for him to be making the case for a US company.

“We chose a British company, Rolls-Royce for this site, and I make no apologies for that.

“Our job is to stand up for the national interest.”

He said the other site that had been considered, at Oldbury in Gloucestershire, could “accommodate various other US companies” interested in building new nuclear in the UK.