Bids for Wylfa nuclear power project going on table

Final bids for a nuclear project which includes an £8bn new plant on Anglesey are expected to be submitted.

The Horizon nuclear scheme, which includes a new Wylfa plant to replace the existing Magnox one, was put up for sale in March.

There is speculation three firms are interested in Horizon as bids are submitted to owners, energy companies RWE npower and E.ON, later.

It is unlikely a final decision will be made public for several weeks.

New Welsh Secretary David Jones said earlier this month that securing a new nuclear station on Anglesey was "critical" to his economic efforts.

He said Wylfa represented an "extremely attractive investment opportunity" and there remained considerable interest in it.

German-owned E.ON and RWE pulled out earlier this year blaming the global economic crisis and Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident in Japan.

Power giant

They put Horizon Nuclear Power, the joint firm to develop the plant, up for sale.

Those thought to be interested in Horizon are French firm Areva; American power giant Westinghouse; and US-Japanese partnership GE Hitachi.

Both Areva and Westinghouse are said to be looking at joint bids with separate Chinese developers.

The existing Wylfa plant, which has been producing energy since 1971, is set to continue generating electricity until the fuel runs out or September 2014, whichever comes first.

The station is due to close after that date.

Wylfa is the only Magnox site still generating electricity, following the closure of Oldbury in Gloucestershire in February.