US criticises Britain over nuclear reactor proposals

LONDON (Reuters) – The U.S. ambassador to London on Wednesday issued an unusually strong criticism of Britain’s approach to nuclear energy on the eve of an expected decision on the development of a plant in North Wales.

Britain is expected to announce on Thursday that its first small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power station will be built at Wylfa on Anglesey, an island in North Wales that is the site of a former nuclear power station that closed in 2015.

But the United States has been pushing for a large-scale nuclear project, and on Wednesday ambassador Warren Stephens harshly rebuked Britain for the decision.

“We are extremely disappointed with this decision, especially as there are cheaper, faster and already approved options to provide clean, safe energy in the same region,” Stephens said, adding that he wanted Britain to be the strongest possible ally of the United States but “high energy costs prevent this”.

“If you want to get shovels in the ground as soon as possible and make a big move on energy prices and availability, there is a different path, and we look forward to decisions on large-scale nuclear projects being made soon.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his close relationship with US President Donald Trump had helped on a number of fronts, from securing an initial deal to reassuring some Americans. Tariffs for working together on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

But Trump has been outspoken in his criticism of Britain’s energy policy and efforts to reach net zero by 2050, calling on the government to extract more oil from the North Sea and criticizing the country’s wind farms.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout, Editing by Nick Zieminski)