Horizon Nuclear Power has moved the Wylfa Newydd project design forward with a consolidated facility concept that eliminates the need for some buildings, including some of the off-site structures, and combines operations for radioactive waste storage for the two units.
The new design reflects ideas developed by Menter Newydd, an engineering procurement and construction partner. It also reflects feedback from 17 public meetings in which the company listened to comments from the public about the project, which will include construction of temporary housing for as many as 4,000 workers.
The new plan, the company said, is to build housing for 2,500 workers as a starting point, then adding more housing if it is needed. “Alongside this, we remain absolutely committed to being a good neighbor to the North Anglesey communities which will host the power station,” said New Horizon Chief Executive Officer Duncan Hawthorne.
The more compact design, as proposed, would reduce the facility's footprint – the size of the land it requires for structures – and consolidate operations. It will also rely on more modular components to streamline construction, reducing the need for personnel and shortening the construction timetable.
Among the changes, the project will now have one storage facility for radioactive waste from each of the two new reactors. The previous design called for two buildings for waste storage, one for each reactor, according to the World Nuclear Association report.
The design now enters its third consultation phase – a period in which the company will seek public and private opinions on the design. Overall, the project is still expected to create a total of 10,000 jobs over the full length of the construction phase and result in about 900 permanent jobs once the reactors begin their operational lives, which are expected by 2025.