Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared a dual investment in North Wales, comprising a new small modular nuclear reactor and an artificial intelligence growth zone, as the region's most significant economic announcement in a generation.
A Generation-Defining Investment for North Wales
During a visit to Anglesey, or Ynys Môn, on Thursday, 13th November 2025, Sir Keir revealed that the two projects are projected to create more than 6,500 jobs in the area. He described the combined impact as having a "magnet effect," likely drawing in further business and employment opportunities for the long term.
"Putting that together, 6,500 jobs – I personally think it’ll be more than that," the Prime Minister stated in a speech at a local further education college. "This is probably the biggest announcement for a generation, I think, here. And these are not jobs that are going to last one year or two years or three years… These are jobs that’ll be there for decades to come."
The Twin Engines of Growth: Nuclear and AI
The cornerstone of this development is the UK's first small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power station, which will be constructed at the Wylfa site in North Wales. The project will be led by the publicly owned Great British Energy-Nuclear, backed by a substantial £2.5 billion investment from the government.
Subject to a final contract, the reactors will be designed by Rolls-Royce SMR. These SMRs are smaller, prefabricated nuclear power stations intended to be quicker to build than traditional large-scale plants and are expected to generate enough electricity to power three million homes.
Running in parallel is the establishment of the latest AI growth zone in the region. Sir Keir hailed the "absolutely amazing" data centre, anticipating it will act as a catalyst for thousands of high-tech roles.
Navigating International Diplomacy and Defence
The announcement was not without controversy, drawing criticism from the US ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens. Ambassador Stephens expressed that Washington was "extremely disappointed" by the decision, having advocated for a larger reactor at Wylfa to be built by a US firm like Westinghouse.
In response, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband robustly defended the choice, stating he made "no apologies" for selecting the British company Rolls-Royce. "Our job is to stand up for the national interest," Mr Miliband told Times Radio.
A Downing Street spokesman clarified that the decision for Wylfa "doesn't close the door to a larger plant elsewhere" with US involvement, highlighting the ongoing UK-US nuclear partnership agreed in September, potentially worth around £76 billion.
The government also announced that Great British Energy-Nuclear has been tasked with identifying potential sites for another large-scale nuclear power plant, with a report due by autumn 2026.
Sir Keir confirmed that job creation would begin to ramp up before the end of the year, with both the nuclear and AI projects coming on stream more fully in the year ahead, marking a transformative period for the Welsh economy.
