Press release: UK Government Minister to highlight North Wales’ low carbon potential in speech to energy leaders

• Minister Andrew will outline the UK Government’s ambition for a low carbon future in a keynote speech at the North Wales and Mersey Dee Energy & Clean Growth Summit.
• The Minister to discuss the vision for North Wales’ nuclear future at Trawsfynydd power station.
• Stuart Andrew will also meet local authority leaders as part of continued engagement to develop proposals for a North Wales Growth Deal.

UK Government Minister Stuart Andrew will highlight North Wales’ potential in developing clean growth solutions to cut the cost of energy and drive economic growth in a speech to energy leaders at the North Wales and Mersey Dee Energy & Clean Growth Summit on Thursday (12 March).

Speaking at the event in Warrington, Minister Andrew will outline how the UK Government is making real progress on its Clean Growth Strategy, which sets out plans to drive growth and continue decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy through the 2020s.

Following a visit to Trawsfynydd nuclear power station in Gwynedd, the Minister is also expected to highlight the value of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to generate growth and create high value jobs across the UK.

After the speech the Minister will visit Rolls-Royce’s Warrington site to hear more about the UK SMR programme which supports the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy to secure homegrown, low cost and low carbon energy.

The UK has enormous potential to become a world leader in developing the next generation of nuclear technologies; an already burgeoning industry that contributed £6.4 billion to the UK economy in 2016.

UK Government Minister Stuart Andrew said:

As a naturally energy rich country, Wales’ landscape and natural resources have meant that we have been at the forefront of energy supply in the UK. Now we have the potential to build on this expertise, exploiting our resources to ensure Wales is at the forefront of the transition to a low carbon economy.

The UK Government has outlined an ambitious Clean Growth Strategy which demonstrates how the whole country can benefit from low carbon opportunities. The Industrial Strategy and the Clean Growth Grand Challenge support these ambitions by better linking up what we are doing in government with what we’d like to see industry doing.

We recognise that the nuclear expertise in North Wales has the potential to revolutionise the economy, developing new opportunities for job creation. That’s why the UK Government has already committed up to £56 million for advanced nuclear technologies.

As part of a two day visit to North Wales, Minister Andrew will also meet local authority leaders from the region on Wednesday to develop proposals for a North Wales Growth Deal, where the energy sector is likely to play an important role.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Stuart Andrew said:

A Growth Deal in North Wales will transform the way the region is governed, bringing powers to a local level and using big ideas to unlock growth and better connect towns and cities, both within Wales and over the border.

“The landscape in North Wales lends itself perfectly to being a key player in the UK’s low-carbon energy future, and I encourage local leaders to consider its potential when formulating proposals for a bespoke deal that works for the whole of the region.

ENDS