A Welsh Government minister has given his support to the reintroduction of nuclear power in Trawsfynydd.

Ken Skates AM, minister for economy and transport, said this afternoon that the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station site, which closed in 1993, had huge potential.

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that a consortium, led by Rolls Royce, has earmarked the site as a potential location for new project which would include the building of a small nuclear reactor, or SMR.

A spokesperson for the consortium said at the time that a return of nuclear power to Trawsfynydd "would bring an economic boost to the area with the potential for thousands of jobs".

Speaking today, Mr Skates said: “The Trawsfynydd site has huge potential in the fields of SMRs and medical isotopes which is fully recognised and supported by the Welsh Government.

"We are actively looking at a Welsh delivery vehicle that would enable development at Trawsfynydd and this will be a key part of levelling up the North Wales economy adding value to the focus of the North Wales Growth Deal.

“An appropriate delivery vehicle will help unlock the site’s potential in the best way for the local community, and for Wales as a whole, and will help us achieve the clearly defined outcomes emerging from the work undertaken by the Snowdonia Enterprise Zone over the past seven years."

Mr Skates re-emphasised the commitment at the first meeting of the North Wales consultative committee, which brings together the region’s AMs, MPs and local authority leaders to hear about the Welsh Government’s priorities for the region and contribute to the debate.