Wylfa Newydd new nuclear plant scientific support

Environmental assessment support for the Wylfa Nuclear New Build

Natalie Frost ABPmer

ABPmer provided a range of marine support to engineering consultant Jacobs on a number of aspects of the environmental assessment for the Wylfa Nuclear New Build.

Our involvement has included:

Support for EIA production

Production of a scoping report to submit to NRW under the Marine Works EIA Regulations. The report built on the existing scoping report for DCO application, incorporating changes to the scheme design.

Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive assessment in support of the marine licence.

Dredging Assessment

Assessment of water and sediment quality from the dredge and disposal sites and the potential effects on water and sediment quality from the proposed works in support of the marine licence application.

Waste hierarchy assessment to determine the Best Practical Environmental Option (BPEO) for the use or disposal of waste material generated through construction works, specifically regarding dredge arisings.

Marine hydrodynamic modelling

New plume modelling for the intake and outfall structures and their associated thermal discharges.

Independent audit of the original Wylfa hydrodynamic model to assess a cooling water discharge. The audit focused on how the model would be developed and considered several key aspects including model selection and validation, data validation, model verification and the validity of conclusions made.

Navigational risk assessment

The design for the power station involves building a breakwater and MOLF which would be used by vessels bringing materials and plant to the site. ABPmer assessed the impacts the creation of the harbour will have on the commercial and recreational navigation in the area.

Harbour Authority Powers

Advice on the likely powers and associated geographic scale of a Statutory Harbour Authority for the Wylfa nuclear power station scheme.


ABPmer’s planning and consents specialists regularly prepare environmental statements and support developers through the minefield of marine consents.