Horizon Nuclear Power has proposed a more compact design for the £10bn 2.7GW Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station in Anglesey, North Wales, UK.

The company initiated a third formal consultation relating to the project which includes 17 public meetings to let people have their say.

Horizon Nuclear has also outlined suggestions on how it can best tackle the impacts caused by construction of the nuclear plant with an aim to bring long term benefits for the region.

It has stated that the main power station would occupy a smaller area than what was planned before with more buildings and facilities to come up between the twin reactors.

Horizon Nuclear said that it will build an accommodation campus at the construction site which will be carefully managed to cut down on the number of buildings which would have been otherwise needed in the region to house its workers.

The temporary workers accommodation campus will be built in phases, initially creating 2,500 beds and expanding to 4,000 beds if needed.

Horizon Nuclear Power CEO Duncan Hawthorne said: “The changes we’re proposing will enable us to streamline our construction schedule, reduce the number of construction workers we need to bring in and temporarily house, and cut the number of development sites we need. 

“Alongside this we remain absolutely committed to being a good neighbour to the North Anglesey communities which will host the power station.  This includes creating opportunities for local companies and long term high quality careers in North Wales, particularly for young people currently in education.”

The Wylfa Newydd nuclear plant is planned to comprise two advanced boiling water reactors and is likely to be commissioned in the first half of the 2020s.

It is expected to create up to 10,000 jobs during its construction stage and about 850 permanent jobs once it becomes operational.

Image: Illustration of the proposed Wylfa Newydd nuclear plant in Anglesey, Wales. Photo: courtesy of Horizon Nuclear Power.