Tender open for Anglesey tidal power project

A design engineering contract has been launched for the Morlais Demonstration Zone tidal energy project off Anglesey.

The procurement process is being run by Menter Môn, a social enterprise that delivers services across North West Wales.

The tender is described as “technical design and contract support for the Morlais Development Zone project”. Companies with experience in design and engineering contracts in the power sector are invited to tender, with expressions of interest to be submitted by 16 August.

The project was presented by Gerallt Llewelyn Jones at Place North West’s Anglesey: Energy Island event in May, as a potential world first in tidal energy testing.

Morlais is one of three tidal stream zones in the UK, as designated by the Crown Estate in 2014, and has the potential to generate 240MW of power. Morlais has a 45-year lease from the Crown over a 22-square mile area of sea bed.

It is the only one of the three zones undergoing “rapid development” with the intention to have what Llewelyn Jones called a “plug and play demonstration zone” live by 2022.

A number of companies have already signed up to support the project including Tidal Stream, Nova Innovation, Instream, Open Hydro, and Verdant Isles, with North American companies showing interest. A deal has been agreed with Scottish Power while Morlais has accepted an offer from the National Grid for the site.

Morlais has already secured a £4.2m package of funding from the ERDF, and is looking to secure a further £28.9m which will support the first package of works to 2022.

Llewelyn Jones told the May event that “there is no reason why Anglesey cannot become a global hub for the development of tidal stream technology into the future”.

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