WIREDGOV

Planning consent was given yesterday for construction of the world’s first tidal lagoon, in a boost to moving towards a low carbon, home grown energy mix.

If built, turbines in the proposed six-mile horseshoe shaped sea wall around Swansea Bay in Wales could generate around 500GWh per year of low carbon electricity.

Energy and Climate Change and Wales Office Minister Lord Bourne said:

“We need more clean and home-grown sources of energy, which will help to reduce our reliance on foreign fossil fuels. Low carbon energy projects like the tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay could bring investment, support local jobs and help contribute to the Welsh economy and Swansea area.”

Separately from the planning consent, the project is still subject to Contract for Difference (CfD) negotiations to establish whether a tidal lagoon at Swansea Bay is affordable and value for money for consumers. Any decision to offer a CFD for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project would be subject to strict value for money considerations and affordability, and to State aid approval.

Notes to editors

• The process for development consent is completely separate from that related to the negotiations over a potential Contract for Difference and will not affect that process.

• DECC announced in December 2014 that we have started to explore the potential for a future lagoon programme that would help meet our future energy needs for a greener and cleaner UK. In March 2015 the previous Government announced it was starting the first phase of negotiations over a potential Contract for Difference with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd, the developer of Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, to establish whether the tidal lagoon project at Swansea Bay is affordable and value for money for consumers.