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Economic Development

'Jobs for decades': Starmer hails nuclear plant and AI growth zone for Wales

º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's first small modular reactor nuclear power station set for Wylfa

From left, Energy, Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens during a visit to an engineering workshop at Coleg Menai in Anglesey(Image: PA)

Sir Keir Starmer has hailed the development of a small modular nuclear reactor and artificial intelligence (AI) growth zone in Wales as "probably the biggest announcement for a generation" that would bring jobs to the area "for decades to come".

The Prime Minister said more than 6,500 jobs would be created as he visited Anglesey on Thursday.

The º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's first small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power station will be built at Wylfa in North Wales by publicly owned Great British Energy -Nuclear and is backed by £2.5 billion investment from the Government.

Ministers also announced the latest AI growth zone will be established in the region.

Sir Keir said the "absolutely amazing" data centre will be a "magnet to bring in even more jobs".

Downing Street and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband earlier defended the nuclear plant plans after criticism from US ambassador to the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Warren Stephens, who said Washington was "extremely disappointed" by the decision.

Mr Miliband said he made "no apologies" for the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's decision to choose Britain's Rolls-Royce to design the reactor, after demands from Donald Trump's administration for a US manufacturer to be chosen.

A No 10 spokesman said the project "doesn't close the door to a larger plant elsewhere" with US involvement.