A group of 107 MPs has signed a letter to the business and energy secretary Greg Clark calling for government support for tidal lagoons.
They urged the government to respond as soon as possible to the findings of a review into the feasibility of tidal lagoon power in the UK, which concluded that building a “pathfinder” project in Swansea Bay would be a “no regrets” option.
“Former energy minister Charles Hendry started his review as a sceptic and ended as an enthusiast”, said chair of the All Party Group for Marine Energy and Tidal Lagoons Richard Graham.
“He was very clear in urging the government to give the green light for a pathfinder in Swansea – the world’s first ever tidal lagoon – and then see whether the experience justified going ahead with much larger future lagoons.”
The review concluded that the cost of subsidizing tidal lagoons would likely be cheaper per megawatt than both offshore wind and nuclear when looking at the projects’ full lifespans of 120 years or more. Over the course of a 60-year contract, supporting the Swansea Bay project would cost each household “less than a pint of milk” each year.
Graham said there is a large pool of support in parliament for the Swansea Bay project and that many MPs believe that tidal lagoons can help to support the government’s new industrial strategy.
“Clearly the business secretary and the chancellor will want to be sure the pathfinder is affordable in the context of delivering secure, domestic, low carbon and diversified sources of energy,” he added.
“Our letter is to urge the government not to delay in responding positively to the recommendations and getting the financial talks for the pathfinder under way.”
The government has been involved in talks with the developer Tidal Lagoon Power over a possible contract for difference for the Swansea Bay project since March 2015.
In October 2015 the company said that construction of its lagoon had been delayed until spring 2017 because the negotiations were taking “longer than expected”. A start date for construcution has since pushed back even further to spring 2018.
Energy minister Jesse Norman has said there will be “no dragging of heels” in responding to the reviews findings. The review was sent to Clark before Christmas and released publicly in January. The government has yet to give its thoughts but Utility Week was told a response should be expected within Q1 this year.
Shortly after publication of the Hendry review the Sunday Times reported that sources at the Treasury had said tidal power was “very expensive” and that subsidies might be better spent on more established renewable technologies.
You can read Utility Week’s recent Q&A with Hendry here.