Project Gwyndod Could Create 3,000 Nuclear Jobs in Wales 2026

Key Points

• The current civil nuclear industry in Wales offers around 2,210 high-skilled and high-paying jobs as stated in the first ever Wales Jobs Map by the Nuclear Industry Association and Wales Nuclear Forum.
• The project Gwyndod is projected to provide around 3,000 local jobs in Ynys Môn at its peak construction phase.
• Furthermore, the project is also expected to provide around 5,000 jobs across the whole UK supply chain with an overall number of job impacts being estimated as 8,000 jobs.
• The project is also anticipated to offer more than 300 apprenticeship opportunities during construction.
• Great British Energy – Nuclear and Rolls-Royce SMR are developing the project on Ynys Môn.
• The UK Government has invested £2.5 billion into the project.
• GBE-N and Rolls-Royce SMR expect to get more than 70% UK content from Project Gwyndod.
• Rolls-Royce SMR’s Supplier Programme provides an opportunity to the UK companies to bid for around £1.4 billion of the contracts in the coming year.
• The project will deliver 1.4 GW of low-carbon electricity to the UK grid.
• Each SMR is expected to produce enough electricity to power one million homes for over 60 years.
• The project is still pending the final investment decision, which BBC announced.

Wales (Wales Times) October 20, 2026 – Nuclear jobs in Wales could more than double under plans for Project Gwyndod, the proposed Small Modular Reactor development on Ynys Môn, according to a new industry employment assessment.

How many nuclear jobs does Wales currently have?

Wales’s civil nuclear industry currently supports 2,210 highly skilled and well-paid jobs across the country, according to the first joint Wales Jobs Map published by the Nuclear Industry Association and the Wales Nuclear Forum.

As reported by Skye Morley of Energy Live News, the figure forms part of a wider assessment of nuclear employment in Wales and highlights the sector’s existing contribution to the Welsh economy.

The Wales Jobs Map is based on participating members of the Nuclear Industry Association and Wales Nuclear Forum. The Nuclear Industry Association says it represents more than 340 companies across the UK nuclear supply chain, while the Wales Nuclear Forum describes itself as a pan-Wales platform for engagement between the energy industry and Welsh suppliers and partners.

What is Project Gwyndod?

Project Gwyndod is a nuclear development on Ynys Môn, led by Great British Energy – Nuclear and Rolls-Royce SMR. It is described by the Nuclear Industry Association as Europe’s first Small Modular Reactor project.

Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs, are a form of nuclear technology intended to be built in smaller units than conventional large-scale nuclear power stations. The project is planned for the Wylfa area of Ynys Môn, a site with a long history in civil nuclear energy.

According to the Nuclear Industry Association, Gwyndod is expected to provide 1.4 GW of homegrown, low-carbon power to the UK grid. It says each SMR would provide enough electricity to power one million homes for more than 60 years.

How many jobs could Gwyndod create?

Project Gwyndod is expected to create around 3,000 local jobs in Ynys Môn at peak construction, according to the Nuclear Industry Association and Wales Nuclear Forum.

The same organisations estimate that a further 5,000 jobs could be created across the wider UK supply chain. That would bring the total expected employment impact to 8,000 roles across the UK.

The South Wales Argus reported that the project could “double job numbers” in Wales’s nuclear sector, given that the existing Welsh civil nuclear workforce stands at 2,210 jobs.

The project is also expected to support more than 300 apprenticeships during construction, according to the Nuclear Industry Association.

What funding is behind the project?

The UK Government has committed £2.5 billion to Project Gwyndod, according to the Nuclear Industry Association and reports by the South Wales Argus.

Great British Energy – Nuclear and Rolls-Royce SMR are targeting more than 70% UK content for the project. The Nuclear Industry Association says this aim is intended to ensure that a substantial share of the economic benefit remains within the United Kingdom.

Rolls-Royce SMR has also announced a Supplier Programme, which gives UK businesses the opportunity to bid for up to £1.4 billion of contracts over the next year.

The programme is intended to open opportunities for firms working in areas such as specialist engineering, equipment and services. The Nuclear Industry Association says Wales’s decommissioning capabilities and existing network of Welsh suppliers mean the potential benefits could extend beyond the Gwyndod site itself.

What have industry and political leaders said?

Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said Project Gwyndod represented a major opportunity to revitalise North Wales’s industrial heritage.

As quoted by the South Wales Argus, Mr Greatrex said:

“Project Gwyndod is a major opportunity to revitalise North Wales’s proud industrial heritage.”

He added that the project would provide “significant investment and thousands of high-paid, high-skilled jobs and apprenticeships to Ynys Môn”, while strengthening UK energy security through “sovereign, reliable, low-carbon electricity”.

Mr Greatrex also said the UK Government must fully implement the Nuclear Regulatory Review to streamline approval processes, reduce unnecessary costs and accelerate delivery timelines.

Llinos Medi, MP for Ynys Môn, welcomed the publication of the Wales Jobs Map. She said it demonstrated the potential of Project Gwyndod to bring “a new generation of secure, highly skilled and well-paid jobs” to the island.

Ms Medi said local communities must receive the maximum benefit from the project. She added that North Wales’s long history in civil nuclear energy meant local skills and expertise should be “front and centre” of Gwyndod’s development.

Mair Rowlands, MP and chair of the Nuclear Energy Cross-Party Group in the Senedd, said the project could create highly skilled, well-paid and sustainable jobs for communities in Bangor, Conwy and Môn. She said local businesses could also gain opportunities to secure investment and join the supply chain.

Ms Rowlands said her priority was to ensure local residents remained at the centre of the development at every stage. She said this included maximising opportunities while mitigating the challenges that could come with a project of its size.

Darren Millar MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said Wales’s nuclear industry had a vital role in strengthening UK energy security. He said growth in the sector could provide employment for thousands more people and procurement opportunities for Welsh businesses.

Helen Jenner MS, leader of Reform Wales and Senedd member for Bangor Conwy Môn, said the potential for thousands of new skilled jobs and significant investment in North Wales should be welcomed. She said the key challenge was ensuring local communities, workers and Welsh businesses were “at the front of the queue” for jobs, apprenticeships and supply-chain opportunities.

What do local workers say about the project?

Anna Lewis, regional stakeholder and communications manager at Great British Energy – Nuclear, said Ynys Môn had a long and proud history with nuclear power. She said the former Wylfa Power Station had provided generations of local people with high-quality, long-term employment, including her grandfather.

Ms Lewis said the opportunity to build a nuclear career on Ynys Môn was significant because such opportunities could be limited locally. She said she would like to see further sites across Wales identified and assessed for nuclear power generation once Gwyndod had demonstrated successful delivery.

Tommy Evans, an internal hazards engineer at Rolls-Royce SMR, said he grew up in North Wales and began his career as an apprentice on the Wylfa Newydd project. He said nuclear investment could provide long-term careers in engineering, construction, project management, safety and other disciplines.

Mr Evans said he would like Wales to continue playing a leading role in the new nuclear era through further investment in projects, training and apprenticeships.

What stage is the project at?

The project is still at the development stage and has not yet reached a final investment decision. The BBC reported in April 2026 that the decision was expected by the turn of the decade, while the SMRs were hoped to be operating in the 2030s after planning and regulatory processes.

The UK government announced in April 2026 that work to begin building the new nuclear power station had been approved, with Wylfa on Anglesey chosen as the site following a £2.5 billion partnership with Rolls-Royce.

At that stage, Rolls-Royce said the project would create 3,000 jobs local to the Wylfa site and a further 5,000 nationally. Tom Greatrex said the move would pave the way for three small modular reactors, the UK’s first, to be built at the site.

Background of the development

Wales has a long association with civil nuclear energy, particularly through the Wylfa site on Ynys Môn. The former Wylfa Power Station provided employment for local people over several generations, according to Anna Lewis of Great British Energy – Nuclear.

The latest development follows the UK Government’s April 2026 announcement that Wylfa had been selected for a new nuclear power station, supported by a £2.5 billion partnership with Rolls-Royce. The BBC reported that the project was expected to create 8,000 jobs across the UK, including 3,000 locally.

The Nuclear Industry Association and Wales Nuclear Forum published their first joint Wales Jobs Map on October 20, 2026. It put current Welsh civil nuclear employment at 2,210 jobs and set out the expected employment potential of Project Gwyndod.

The announcement also comes shortly after the UK civil nuclear sector marked 70 years since Calder Hall opened. Energy Live News reported that UK nuclear employment had reached a record 102,606 jobs, with the industry association linking growth to projects including Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C and Project Gwyndod.

Prediction: What could this mean for Welsh workers and businesses?

For workers in Ynys Môn and wider North Wales, the development could increase access to long-term employment in engineering, construction, project management, safety and related technical fields. The Nuclear Industry Association says the project is expected to support more than 300 apprenticeships during construction, which could create a route into the sector for school leavers and career changers.

For Welsh businesses, the Supplier Programme could create opportunities to compete for up to £1.4 billion in contracts over the next year. The stated target of more than 70% UK content suggests that suppliers across the country, including Welsh firms, may be able to seek work connected to the project.

For local communities, the scale of the proposed investment could affect housing, transport, training and public services during the construction period. Mair Rowlands said the challenges that come with a project of this size would need to be addressed alongside the opportunities, while ensuring that local residents benefit from the development.

If Project Gwyndod progresses to a final investment decision and construction, the number of nuclear jobs in Wales could rise from 2,210 to more than 5,200 when the expected 3,000 local construction roles are added. However, those figures are projections for peak construction and depend on the project securing the necessary investment, regulatory approvals and delivery timetable.