Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many new pumped storage hydro electricity generation plants have been authorised in (1) England, (2) Scotland, and (3) Wales, since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
Planning consent is a matter for the relevant planning authority, which varies by country. The UK Government would only be responsible for consenting pumped storage hydro (PSH) projects in England above 50MW. In practice, these do not exist given more suitable topography in other parts of Britain.
On 26 June 2026, Ofgem published its "minded-to" decisions on projects to be supported under the Long Duration Electricity Storage (LDES) cap and floor investment support scheme. This includes three PSH projects, all located in Scotland: Loch Kemp, Coire Glas and Earba. The latter two projects already have planning consent. No PSH projects in England applied to the scheme, and none in Wales passed an earlier eligibility assessment. Ofgem is now consulting on these decisions before confirming final awards in autumn 2026.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government will they ensure that the "Energy Independence Bill" proposed in the King's Speech made on 13 May includes provisions to augment energy storage through new pumped-storage hydroelectric schemes.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Energy Independence Bill will legislate for the powers the government needs to fight people’s corner and go further and faster on our clean energy mission. The full detail of the Energy Independence Bill and its policy measures will be set out in due course when it is introduced to Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to speed up the reduction of the proportion of the UK's energy needs met by oil and gas.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
Through our Clean Power 2030 mission, we are reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed by a reserve of gas supply to be used only when essential.
Our work to date - reforming the connections queue, taking a clear decision on REMA and publishing roadmaps for key technologies like Solar and Clean Flexibility - has given a clear signal to industry. And we have now delivered the most successful renewables auction in history, with AR7 securing a record-breaking 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind, which will power the equivalent of around 12m homes.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their target date for the first supply of electricity to the grid from UK-based small modular reactors.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham
Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) has selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred bidder to partner with to develop the UK's first small modular reactors (SMRs), subject to final government approvals and contract signature, which will be sited at Wylfa on Anglesey in North Wales.
With the aim of deploying to the grid in the mid-2030s, the project is expected to provide around 1.5GW of low carbon electricity, powering the equivalent of around 3 million of today’s homes.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to designate the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station site as a nuclear research site for developing and producing radioisotopes for medical purposes.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) through Nuclear Restoration Services, are decommissioning the legacy facility and own the land at Trawsfynydd. The NDA engages parties to explore maximising national and local value with the land that it owns.
The responsibility for the supply of medical radioisotopes sites with the Department of Health and Social Care. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provides support to other government department’s exploring nuclear medicine projects.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that all new contracts for wind farms at sea include clauses to ensure that the developer and operator must specify before a contractual agreement how the development will benefit the adjacent coastal communities.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Government recognises that communities hosting clean energy infrastructure should benefit from doing so. While community benefits for offshore wind are currently delivered voluntarily, Government is exploring the introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme across low‑carbon technologies. The offshore wind industry has well-established community benefit schemes providing funds for coastal communities.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the estimated total cost of the National Grid's Eryri Visual Impact Provision is; and by what date it will be completed.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Government does not hold a specific estimate for the total cost or completion date of National Grid’s Eryri project. Responsibility for delivery and associated costs rests with National Grid under Ofgem’s regulatory framework.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with universities and other higher and further education institutions in north west Wales regarding the skills and training that the local workforce will need in order to obtain employment at the proposed nuclear facility at Wylfa.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham
Great British Energy – Nuclear’ s small modular reactor project at Wylfa on Anglesey is expected to generate around 3,000 on-site jobs at peak construction, along with thousands more across the supply chain. The industry-led Nuclear Skills Plan will support this workforce growth and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders in Wales by launching a Wales Regional Skills Hub in 2026. Bangor University are also part of the Nuclear Energy Futures Centre for Doctoral Training which through the Nuclear Skills Plan we have provided funding to recruit an additional cohort of PhD students in this academic year.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are their planned (1) start, and (2) completion, dates for work on constructing the nuclear power station at Wylfa.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham
GBE-N has selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred bidder to partner with to develop the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project, subject to final government approvals and contract signature, targeted later this year.
Initial site activity at Wylfa will begin in 2026, with the first operational SMRs targeted from the mid-2030s.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or plan to have, with the Welsh Government about the provision of education and skills courses to equip the workforce with the training necessary for the construction of the proposed small modular reactors at Wylfa.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
In June 2025, the Government announced a new golden age of nuclear power, which is set to create thousands of high-quality jobs across the UK. As part of this, Great British Energy – Nuclear’s small modular reactor project to be located at Wylfa on Anglesey is expected to create around 3,000 jobs on site at peak construction plus thousands more across the supply chain.
The industry-led Nuclear Skills Plan will support this workforce growth and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders in Wales by launching a Wales Regional Skills Hub in 2026.