“This is an important step forward for new nuclear build on Ynys Môn,” said Isle of Anglesey Council leader Cllr Gary Pritchard as Wylfa was confirmed to host the UK’s first small modular reactors. The council stresses benefits must be matched by respect for local culture, language and communities.

Great British Energy – Nuclear’s December update, The Spark, sets the headline facts: Wylfa on Anglesey will lead the country’s SMR rollout, bringing up to 1.5GW of low‑carbon power, creating thousands of jobs and bolstering energy security.

Welsh Government guidance adds detail: an initial three Rolls‑Royce units are planned, with scope for up to eight on site, supporting more than 3,000 high‑quality jobs and an initial £2.5bn investment in north‑west Wales. Ministers expect work to begin in 2026 and first power in the mid‑2030s, subject to contracts and approvals.

For readers across the North, this is not a distant project. Rolls‑Royce SMR has longstanding manufacturing ties here: Sheffield Forgemasters has signed agreements to supply critical nuclear‑grade forgings, while a module development facility at the University of Sheffield AMRC’s Factory 2050 is already building capability.

Factory‑built is the point. Rolls‑Royce has shortlisted northern locations such as Teesworks and the IAMP in Sunderland/South Tyneside for SMR component plants, keeping a large chunk of the value chain in northern hands if orders flow. Supplier conferences continue to bring SMEs into the fold.

Locally on Ynys Môn, officials say the project can transform prospects for young people - but only if developers engage early, mitigate impacts and lock in jobs and contracts for island residents. That community test will sit alongside rigorous UK planning and environmental processes.

GBE–N has also confirmed leadership changes to steer delivery: Simon Roddy, a former Shell UK senior vice‑president, has been appointed CEO from 2 March 2026, with Simon Bowen as chair. The December newsletter trails wider organisational updates and a Wylfa roadmap.

Skills matter as much as steel. GBE–N launched an Early Careers programme this year, partnering with Energus’ Nuclear Graduates and Cogent Skills to bring through apprentices and graduates - a clear signal to northern colleges and employers planning their intakes for 2026.

The decision has not been without international noise. The US ambassador criticised the move, arguing for a larger reactor at Wylfa; UK ministers and Rolls‑Royce counter that a British‑built SMR fleet will cut risk through repeatable factory production and build an export market.

Next steps are concrete: site activity slated for 2026, final contracts and regulatory milestones to follow, and a phased build that government hopes will put power on the grid from the mid‑2030s. For northern manufacturers - from heavy forgings in Sheffield to advanced assembly on Teesside - the work starts now.