The Wylfa Nuclear development on Anglesey is one of the UK’s not just Wales biggest construction projects for many years. Aside from the technology involved the enormous logistics behind the scheme and the support in terms of people and ancillary buildings make it a huge opportunity to demonstrate Welsh construction best practice.

But key to its success and planning is appreciating the project requirements, which is why it was so informative to hear first hand from the GE/Horizon team about The Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) Technology and New Build Development. It was a fascinating presentation, hosted by ICE Wales Cymru North Wales Branch, which detailed the technical design of the ABWR and an update of the nuclear new build progress at the Wylfa Newydd site on Anglesey.

All projects rely on good planning. But a project of the scale of Wylfa demands a much wider sense of perspective. As Ed Evans, director of CEW said:

“With potentially 6,000 jobs to be created at its peak this development offers significant opportunities for the communities of north Wales – it will, however, put considerable pressure on other projects unless comprehensive and long term training and up-skilling programmes are put in place.”

The Wylfa Nuclear programme will demand, far more than any other schemes in Wales to date, a collaborative procurement model underpinning its success that considers not just the delivery of the ABWR, but the implications for the whole of Welsh construction during the process.