THE UK Government is understood to be in discussions about taking on an Anglesey site where a nuclear project was scrapped five years ago.

State-owned Great British Nuclear is in "negotiations” with Hitachi, which owns the land at Wylfa, according to the region’s MP, Virginia Crosbie.

Rising costs and a failure to reach a financial agreement with the UK Government led to the formerly £1billion Hitachi-led development being suspended in January 2019.

The cancellation caused shock and disappointment, and sparked concerns about the UK’s renewable energy agenda.

The £20 billion gigawatt-scale development on the Anglesey coastline is said to be vital to the Government realising its ambition for nuclear energy to meet up to a quarter of UK electricity demand, about 24GW, by 2050.

Mrs Crosbie said: “I have been aware of negotiations between Hitachi and the government over buying land at Wylfa and I am very much encouraged that Great British Nuclear – the organisation tasked with delivering new nuclear - has now confirmed it.

“Such a purchase is crucial in my view – a point I have made to ministers, the chancellor, and the Prime Minister on several occasions.

“As everyone knows, I will continue to keep the pressure up until contracts are signed.

“The nuclear industry is unanimous that Wylfa is the best site in Europe for large-scale nuclear.

“It would be the largest inward investment in Welsh history and transformational for the people of north-west Wales.

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“Most importantly, it is positive news for my Ynys Môn constituents; new nuclear at Wylfa means good quality local jobs to keep our island communities together and protect the Welsh language after years of neglect.

“I know the vast majority of islanders want the jobs and prosperity it will bring.

“Those who oppose it are opposing progress for Ynys Môn and for the UK’s energy security and net zero ambitions.”

A Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: "We ended the stop-start approach to nuclear and recently launched a roadmap setting out the biggest expansion of the sector in 70 years, simplifying regulation and shortening the process for building new power stations - meaning cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy in the long-term.

"Wylfa is one of a number of potential sites that could host civil nuclear projects.

"Whilst no decisions on sites have yet been taken, we are working with Great British Nuclear to support access to potential sites for new nuclear projects.”

Plaid Cymru’s Ynys Môn candidate for the 2024 general election, and Isle of Anglesey County Council leader, Llinos Medi, said: "As council leader, I played a key part in ensuring previous developments at Wylfa benefitted the community and local people, only for the UK Conservative Government to let us down at the final hurdle by failing to put a funding model in place.

"We’ve had too many false dawns from the UK Conservative government and if they’re serious, this time around, about developing a project on the Wylfa site, the same core principle of ensuring that this benefits local people and the community must be at the heart of every decision.

"We need a clear timeline of events so we can secure the jobs for our local people.

"Any development has to work for the people of Ynys Môn before anyone else."

Attempts have been made to contact Hitachi for further comment.