A Welsh firm has been selected as a preferred bidder for an order of 200,000 tonnes of steel for the construction of Hinkley Point C.

The order from EDF Energy to Express Reinforcements is said to be worth £100 million.

Reinforced steel will be supplied from the firm’s Neath and Newport manufacturing centres using rod supplied by Celsa Steel in Cardiff.

The news follows EDF Energy boss Vincent de Rivaz calling on the government to go ahead with Hinkley last week after it decided to delay its final decision on the project.

EDF Energy said: “In February this year, EDF Energy said that Hinkley Point C would be a significant opportunity for UK steel.

“The company has helped steel producers understand the requirements needed for nuclear construction so that a large proportion of its requirement could come from UK companies, subject to a competitive process.”

GMB, the union for workers, welcomed the news.

Dave Hulse, GMB national officer for steel, said: “This is really good news for both Hinkley point C and the Welsh economy as a whole. At long last we have some good news for the steel industry in South Wales which has seen a big reduction in steel workers in recent times.

“With this amount of steel being sourced from Express Reinforcements and Celsa Steel, let’s hope that manufactures like Port Talbot Tata Steel plant and Sheffield Forge Masters award further steel and forging contracts for this project in the UK so that the positive economic impact of large manufacturing projects can spread to where it’s needed most.”