Land sale next to Wylfa station

The current station is due to stop producing electricity in 2010

A French power company has confirmed it has bought land next to Wylfa nuclear power station on Anglesey.

EDF has already said that it would be interested in investing in a new generation of nuclear plants in the UK.

It said however that it was also exploring possibilities at Hinkley Point, where it has also bought land.

Anglesey County Council supports the idea of a new nuclear power station on the island. Wylfa is due to close in 2010.

In a statement EDF said, on possible sites for new plants, that the UK Government had indicated that the most viable sites were likely to be adjacent to existing nuclear power plants.

'Robust response'

"EDF has been exploring possibilities at Hinkely Point and at Wylfa for more than a year.

"As a result, EDF has purchased land next to the existing sites at both locations," the statement added.

Wylfa's owners, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) said there had been a "robust response" from companies applying to buy land they owned next to Wylfa, but that EDF had not bought any land from them.

The NDA added that they were considering their next steps as a matter of urgency, and would be able to say more in a few weeks time.

The UK Government will decide in 2010/11 where the next generation of nuclear power stations will be built - with the first due to be up and running by 2018.

Anglesey council decided in March 2006 that it would support a bid for a new nuclear power station.

A spokesman said that although there was now a newly elected council, there were no plans to revisit the issue at present.