DISCUSSIONS have taken place about the future of the Trawsfynnyd nuclear power plant site and the feasibilty of installing a new nuclear reactor.

The Snowdonia Enterprise Zone Advisory Board is exploring the potential for the Trawsfynydd site to be a future base for the development of small modular reactors (SMRs).

SMRs are nuclear power plants that are smaller in size than current generation plants.

These smaller, compact designs are factory-fabricated reactors that can be transported by truck or rail to a nuclear power site and produce approximately 30 per cent as much energy as their much larger counter parts.

An independent report by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) undertaken in September 2014 identified Trawsfynydd as a future candidate site to host any future UK SMR deployment.

Another potential option for the site is as a data centre which would benefit from the site’s electricity grid infrastructure and remote, secure location.

The update on Trawsfynydd’s future was given by chair of the Snowdonia Enterprise Zone Advisory Board Dr John Idris Jones at a local site stakeholders meeting last week.

This was followed by a report to examine the feasibility of Trawsfynydd for developments of this kind which concluded there were “no immediate physical constraints” to stop the proposal going ahead.

The board promoted the site at the UK SMR Summit this autumn which Dr Jones said was “very well received” by leading technology vendors and wider industry stakeholders.

SMR is an emerging technology and the UK Government recently announced £250m funding over the next five years for nuclear research and development.

Dr Jones said: “As chair of the advisory board, and supported by officials from Welsh Government and Gwynedd County Council, I continue to engage with key SMR stakeholders to explore this opportunity and to promote Trawsfynydd as an ideal location to host the first SMR of its kind in the UK.

“We have a unique location with an established nuclear site at Trawsfynydd with potential for future SMR deployment and associated research and development.

“It is the ultimate environment for businesses involved in new, sustainable and secure low carbon energy generation.

“The local community has strong links to the nuclear industry and the decommissioning of the nuclear plant on site will release a potential transferable workforce of hundreds of skilled personnel.

“The workforce has an excellent reputation for technological expertise and decommissioning involves cutting edge technology and mission critical engineering capabilities.

“While this option will not deliver job opportunities in the short term it would appear to offer some potential in the medium to longer term.”

Dr Jones added it would be a decision for the UK Government although Welsh Government officials and the Snowdonia Enterprise Zone Board are continuing to monitor the situation.