The NIA’s Head of Communications, Iolo James, spoke at the Wales Nuclear Forum’s annual St David’s Day dinner in Cardiff on February 27th.
Diolch yn fawr i Fforwm Niwclear Cymru am y gwahoddiad i siarad heno ar achlysur mor bwysig. Thank you to the Wales Nuclear Forum’s invitation to speak at what is an incredibly important date in the Wales nuclear calendar.
One of the most loved phrases in the Welsh language is that uttered by Dewi Sant, the patron saint of Wales, supposedly just before his death: “Gwnewch y pethau bychain” (“Do the little things”). And there are lots of little things that are happening or that need to happen in the nuclear industry in Wales to ensure it realises its full potential.
The opportunity is enormous: a new project at Wylfa would be the single greatest inward investment in Welsh history. We all know the benefits: clean, Welsh power from a tiny land footprint, investment in the local community, opportunities for the supply chain, and thousands of good, skilled jobs, not only on the site, but in shops and cafes and other local businesses, so that people can stay in their communities, start families, speak the language and be part of a thriving community.
Sometimes little changes can have a big impact. Take the Welsh rugby team playing in the stadium behind us last weekend. The resolve they showed and the intent was nothing short of remarkable, they had “calon” – heart, and a strong mindset despite recent struggles. That’s what our industry needs right now. We’ve had several false dawns, projects almost happening, but we cannot give up.
Believe it or not I actually watched the Wales- Ireland game, not at the stadium or in the pub with mates, but on my phone whilst on a tour of the House of Parliament. Don’t ask, but it wasn’t where I wanted to be. Jac Morgan, the Wales captain did score his try though just as I was walking underneath the mosaic panel of St David in Central Lobby, but the disallowed try call came as I was passing under the panel of St Patrick… poor timing from me there I think.
What really bothered me on this tour though, and which plays into this idea of the Welsh needing to be proud of telling our story, of us having a growth mindset and not be inward looking, was overhearing an official Parliament tour guide referring to Wales as a principality. Wales is not a principality, it is a country, and I didn’t hold back in my feedback to the tour guide. I was told, “well we’ve been saying that for years”, not a great start I thought. I was then asked what my source was… but I can’t repeat what I said! They did say that they would look into the matter though. It’s the little things sometimes that can have the biggest impact.
But for all that to happen, as well as delivering other projects too at Trawsfynydd and South Wales, we need all the stakeholders in Wales, be it industry, government, local authorities and others to do the little things – y pethau bychain. That means being strong advocates for nuclear at every possible opportunity. The message should be: We want new projects here and we won’t give up until they’re delivered. Ultimately, it’s up the UK government to green light new projects, but that doesn’t mean we should just sit back and let it all play out. We need to be on the front foot.
The nuclear industry in Wales is facing a crucial period, so too the wider UK sector. As Gwen Parry Jones, CEO of Great British Nuclear recently said, the period between now and the Spending Review is probably the most important period in the industry’s 70 year history. Decisions on Sizewell C and the SMR competition will have a huge bearing on Wales. Will Wylfa be the site of the first UK SMR? If not, what about a large-scale project? By June we should have some clarity. And clarity and certainty is essential in this sector so we can build confidence in the supply chain and in host communities.
To that end, the first ever Nuclear Cross-Party Group in the Senedd was recently launched, with the aim of strengthening the voice of the industry in Wales and to give Senedd Members all the tools and information required to be strong advocates.
For the first time we’ll be taking Senedd Members on a visit of Hinkley Point C, the 3.2 GW nuclear plant under construction in Somerset which has a very strong Welsh input including over 2,300 workers from Wales, £180 million spent with Welsh companies, 190 Welsh firms in the supply chain, 200,000 tonnes of Welsh steel and companies from Neath, Newport, Risca, Pontypool and beyond all supplying key services and materials.
Hinkley is vital because it’s a live case study of what Wales could have: over 10,000 jobs during construction, 1,000 when it’s operational, over 1,500 apprentices trained on site, over 8,000 people trained in welding, electrical, and mechanical skills in its college and a £5 billion spend in the South West region. These are transformational opportunities, and I can’t wait for the Senedd Members to see first-hand what is the ultimate prize for Wales. After all, seeing it is vastly different to reading about it or being told about it.
From a wider UK perspective, things are looking up. The Prime Minister recently made a significant announcement aimed at streamlining planning and regulation for nuclear projects which should make it cheaper and faster to deliver new stations. There are opportunities too around AI and the firm, clean electricity needed to power data centres. Wales should be leading in this field, attracting big companies to invest here. The groundwork needs to start now.
Parts of Wales are really feeling the squeeze of what is a bleak economic reality with a lack of investment meaning fewer and fewer jobs. The only option facing a lot of younger people, particularly in places like Ynys Môn that has lost key industries, is a move away from their home communities to seek opportunities elsewhere. Wales needs to keep its best young minds in Wales.
Talented and dedicated individuals like Kieron Salter, an Electrical Engineer from Llangefni on Ynys Môn, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at an NIA Senedd event a few years ago. Kieron had hoped to work on Wylfa Newydd but after the project failed to materialise he ended up having to move away to work at Hinkley. He spoke fondly of the opportunity he was given at Hinkley, but his disappointment that the Wylfa project failed was evident.
All he wanted, he said, was the opportunity for a good job in the place he grew up, in an industry he loves that protects the planet, so that he can settle down, speak his native tongue and give something back to the community he grew up in.
That is surely reason enough to do the pethau bychain – the little things.
Iolo James is the NIA’s Head of Communications.
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