North Wales Minister Ken Skates has made clear the Welsh Government鈥檚 commitment to the Trawsfynydd site in Gwynedd, and its future potential in developing small modular reactors and other associated technologies.

Engineering giant Rolls-Royce wants to build a network of mini-reactors - with the site in Snowdonia at the front of the queue for one of the first plants.

A small nuclear reactor, SMR, could result in up to 600 jobs in the area according to the Snowdonia Enterprise Zone.

Rolls-Royce are now in discussions with 海角视频 Government over developments of SMRs.

New proposed mini-nuclear reactors that could come to Trawsfynydd. Credit: Rolls Royce

Mr Skates re-emphasised the commitment of the Welsh Government at the first meeting of the North Wales consultative committee which brings together the region's AMs, MPs and local authority leaders to hear about the Welsh Government鈥檚 priorities for the region and contribute to the debate.聽

Ken Skates said: 鈥淭he Trawsfynydd site has huge potential in the fields of SMRs and medical isotopes which is fully recognised and supported by the Welsh Government. 聽

鈥淲e are actively looking at a Welsh delivery vehicle that would enable development at Trawsfynydd and this will be a key part of levelling up the North Wales economy adding value to the focus of the North Wales Growth Deal.

鈥淎n appropriate delivery vehicle will help unlock the site鈥檚 potential in the best way for the local community, and for Wales as a whole, and will help us achieve the clearly defined outcomes emerging from the work undertaken by the Snowdonia Enterprise Zone over the past seven years.鈥

The potential of Trawsfynydd to exploit the small modular reactor technology could bring significant benefits not only for the local area but the wider region, including the thermo-hydraulic testing facility at M-SParc and AMRC Cymru.聽

It also has the potential to become a medical research reactor development centre, providing a secure and sustainable supply of medical radioisotopes for the 海角视频.

Mr Skates added: 鈥淚 am also pleased to learn today that a letter of intent was signed this week between Bangor University鈥檚 Nuclear Futures Institute and the University of New Brunswick鈥檚 School of Chemical Engineering in Canada, committing the two universities to working together to develop a series of collaborative research projects in support of the small modular and advance reactor agendas in both New Brunswick and Wales.鈥 聽

The committee also discussed the North Wales Growth Deal and Transport.