Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has expressed its support to the recently announced Welsh Government’s proposal to help get the long-delayed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon development back on track with a ‘substantial’ investment offer.
ECA stated that it ‘firmly backed’ proposals to build a series of tidal lagoons in Wales in a recent submission to the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). Back in 2014, ECA also hosted 80 engineering SMEs at a summit near the planned Swansea tidal lagoon to outline its benefits to business and the community, the association added.
“ECA and many others in industry are keen to get the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon scheme moving, and we welcome this announcement from the First Minister,” Michelle Davies , South Wales Regional Manager for the ECA, said. “This is a world leading project that would provide huge opportunities for SMEs and many other businesses in the South Wales region and beyond.”
The Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon is a major pilot project which would be able to power 155,000 homes. Building up to six large tidal lagoons around the West coast of Britain could provide approximately 8 percent of current UK electricity demand, over 120 years, ECA pointed out.
To remind, the Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said last week that the Welsh government was ready to offer ‘substantial investment’ for Tidal Lagoon Power’s Swansea tidal lagoon project if that would kick-start its development. The amount which the government is proposing to invest is speculated to be at least £100 million.