The joint venture of RWE npower and E.ON in the UK, Horizon Nuclear Power, announced plans to site its first reactor at Wylfa on the Isle of Anglesey for commissioning 'as early as 2020'.

A planning application at Wylfa would be scheduled for 2012, and be followed by a planning application for a second power station at Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire once construction at Wylfa is underway. Each site is planned to have a capacity of up to 3,300MW.

RWE npower has secured a 1200MW grid connection agreement at Wylfa from 2020.

The Wylfa site is home to two operating Magnox reactors.

The company is continuing formal discussions with both Westinghouse and Areva, the two firms seeking licences for their nuclear reactors in the UK, before selecting a preferred vendor at the end of the year for Wylfa.

Consortium member RWE has also indicated interest in Sellafield, Cumbria, and two sites greenfield sites near it.