Ukraine war puts Wylfa nuclear back on agenda, says UK minister

The Conservative Welsh Secretary says Russia's invasion of Ukraine has put a new nuclear power station at Wylfa on Anglesey "firmly back on the agenda".

Simon Hart said that energy self-sufficiency remained the UK's absolute ambition.

He said the UK government was determined not to let the push for net zero emissions be knocked off course.

Some in his party, including Wrexham's Sarah Atherton, have questioned the climate strategy.

The MP called for the net zero strategy to be "parked" to concentrate on energy resilience instead.

Mr Hart told a media briefing that the shock to energy markets following the invasion had started to concentrate minds.

"It feels to me that we are moving much more towards a serious conversation about how Wylfa could be added to our nuclear generating capacity sooner rather than later," he said.

Japanese company Hitachi pulled out of plans to build a nuclear power station there two years ago because of costs.

Last year officials revealed talks with a consortium, including American engineering firm Bechtel, considering building a plant at the site.

Mr Hart argued that planning work already done for that scheme meant a new application should be able to proceed more quickly.

The UK government has stepped up its energy efforts over the past few weeks.

The prime minister is in Saudi Arabia to talk to the Kingdom's rulers about oil production.

But an energy strategy appears to have been delayed until the end of March.

Renewables could play a big part in that, with the secretary of state singling out the potential for offshore floating wind turbines.

He revealed that leases from Crown Estates, which manages the seabed around the UK, would be "up for grabs" as early as 2023.

"This provides an opportunity to meet our net zero commitments and create significant jobs in the short term," he said.

Mr Hart also praised the Blue Eden tidal lagoon project in Swansea.