Wylfa nuclear power station and the National Assembly for Wales

Publication date: January 2001

Summary
Wylfa is an old power station, already operating well past its sell-by date. It is currently closed following the discovery of unexpected safety-related problems in April 2000. Despite a history of safety problems, its owners, BNFL Magnox, not only want to continue operating it, but also to extend its life to 50 years.

BNFL Magnox is proposing to manage the current safety problems, rather than repair them. Their strategy is aimed at restarting the reactors as soon as possible, and it inevitably carries with it safety implications.