Dead in the water: Swansea tidal lagoon [image credit: BBC]
In the end this project was just too expensive and too risky it seems. Even wind power offered better value, and without the 90-year subsidy commitment.
A decision by the UK government not to back the world’s first tidal power lagoon could have been made 18 months ago, according to the man who led an independent review into the plans.
Charles Hendry backed the £1.3bn Swansea Bay project in his government-commissioned review of January 2017.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said on Monday it was not value for money, but developers reject this. Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) has requested a meeting with UK government ministers.
The rejection of the lagoon plans has been attacked by local politicians and community leaders.
First Minister Carwyn Jones claimed on Tuesday that the UK government would have supported a project like the Swansea tidal energy lagoon if it had been proposed in Northern Ireland.
Mr Hendry said he was disappointed with the UK government’s decision but he added: “They’re keen to look at other tidal technologies and that at least is positive.
“But they have therefore also taken 18 months when they could have almost said ‘no’ to it on day one.”
The scheme off Swansea Bay had £200m backing from the Welsh Government.
However the UK government said it would not pay TLP the fee it wanted for energy, although the lagoon’s backers said a revised offer made it cheaper.
Continued here.
via Tallbloke’s Talkshop
June 26, 2018 at 04:37AM
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