Anglesey's Wylfa Newydd nuclear plant plans on display

Plans for an £8bn nuclear power station on Anglesey are going on display with a series of exhibitions over ten weeks.

Horizon Nuclear Power says its proposed Wylfa Newydd power plant will employ more than 1,000 people once it begins working in the first half of the 2020s.

The current Wylfa power station will close in 2015 at the latest, after beginning operation in 1971.

Horizon is a subsidiary of Hitachi which bought the site in 2012 for around £700m.

Hitachi has opted to build a smaller plant, deciding to construct two reactors - called Advanced Boiling Water Reactors (ABWR) - instead of three.

Up to 6,000 jobs are expected to be created in the construction phase.

Horizon says the community consultation is a major step in the planning process.

Its chief operating officer, Alan Raymant, said: "This is a big step forward for a project that will contribute to the future prosperity of north Wales for many years to come.

'Emergency'

"Not only will it provide direct job opportunities, it will also build and support an extensive local supply chain and inspire the region's young people."

Phi Steele, treasurer of the lobby group Pawb, said the plans would be a "hard read" for the average visitor to the exhibition.

He said: "We know that people on the island have very real concerns about basic questions.

"The main concerns are the danger from nuclear waste, the security of the site and, of course, the economy - I don't just mean the local economy, which is a major concern, but the wider economy. This is a very expensive technology we're talking about.

"And also the question of evacuating the island in the event of an emergency is one thing that comes to mind."

A delegation from four campaigning groups opposed to the new plant, including Pawb, is flying out to Japan later this week to deliver an anti-nuclear message to Hitachi.

Members of Pawb, Greenpeace, CND Cymru and Cymeithas Yr Iaith on the trip will visit the city of Tomioka, which had to be abandoned after the nuclear reactor explosions at Daiichi in Fukushima in 2011.

Dates and venues of proposals exhibition

Fri 3 Oct, Cemaes Village Hall, High Street, Cemaes 14:00-18:00

Wed 8 Oct, Llanfachraeth Village Hall, Llanfachraeth 14:00-18:00

Thurs 9 Oct, Ucheldre Centre, Mill Bank, Holyhead 14:00-18:00

Fri 10 Oct, Rhosneigr Library, High Street, Rhosneigr 14:00-18:00

Sat 11 Oct, The Coach House, The Bull Hotel, Bulkely Square, Llangefni 10:00-15:-00

Wed 29 Oct, War Memorial Community Centre, Water Street, Menai Bridge 14:00-18:00

Thurs, 30 Oct, Llandudno Town Hall, Lloyd St, Llandudno 14:00-18:00

Fri 31 Oct, Celtic Royal Hotel, Bangor Street, Caernarfon 14:00-18:00

Sat 1 Nov, Penrhyn Hall, Ffordd Gwynedd, Bangor 10:00-15:00

Thurs 20 Nov, Wylfa Sports and Social Club, Tyn y Maes, Cemaes Bay 14:00-18:00

Fri 21 Nov, Amlwch Agewell Centre, Memorial Hall, 18 Market Street, Amlwch 14:00-18:00