The Swansea Tidal Lagoon power project set to be developed in Swansea Bay, Wales, will rely heavily on British industrial components and expertise, following the appointment of General Electric and Andritz Hydro to the £1 billion project.
In a press release published Tuesday, Tidal Lagoon Power announced that the two companies had committed to a majority of British large turbine components and generators, as well as a dockside Turbine Assembly Plant in Wales that will employ an initial 100 skilled workers.
“Today’s announcement by these two global businesses is a massive vote of confidence in our highly skilled workforce,” said Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb. “This project, if planning consent is granted, has the potential to transform the South Wales economy by creating hundreds of jobs and countless supply chain opportunities for local businesses across the region.”
The project aims to create the world’s first man-made energy-generating lagoon, which could generate up to 320 MW of clean energy and 14 hours of reliable generation every day. That works out to be the equivalent of renewable energy for over 155,00 homes, or 90% of the local Swansea Bay’s annual domestic electricity use, for 120 years. The project could be operational as soon as 2018, just in time for other power stations to be closed down.
“This announcement is excellent news for the economy of the Swansea Bay City Region,” said Sir Terry Matthews, Chair of the Swansea Bay City Region Board. “The development of the tidal lagoon will put the area on the map as a world leading location for marine energy technology. The assembly facility announced today, together with the pioneering research and development capabilities at universities in the Swansea Bay City Region mean there is huge potential for new investment, business opportunities, jobs and growth.”
Image Credit: via Tidal Lagoon Power
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