CHEC out of Swansea tidal game. TLP makes internal changes

 
Tidal Lagoon Power plans to retender the marine works package for the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project after parting ways with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) which was last year selected as the preferred bidder for the delivery of marine works.

Following the review of the advanced works phase for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, Tidal Lagoon Power, the company behind the project, has decided to retender the marine works package in line with the requirement to deliver optimal value-for-money to investors and to consumers.

CHEC was selected as the preferred bidder for the £300 million contract to provide marine works for the lagoon, which would include the construction of the 9.6 km long lagoon wall – including bund wall and coffer dam in which the powerhouse structure will be built.

A spokesperson for TLP said the changes would not impact on project funding or the delivery timetable.

In addition, Mike Unsworth has been named as TLP’s new Director of Engineering and Construction.

Unsowrth, former Delivery Director for the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project, is replacing Andrew McNaughton, who joined TLP last year.

“Having joined Tidal Lagoon Power last summer, Mike Unsworth has been appointed as Director of Engineering and Construction and will lead the delivery of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon. We are now discussing an ongoing advisory role with Andrew McNaughton, who has built a first-class delivery team and led the first project through its pre-construction phase,” TLP said in a statement.

To remind, the planning consent for the 320 MW Swansea Bay tidal lagoon was granted on June 9, 2015, by the UK Secretary of State, Amber Rudd. Early in 2016, the UK government announced an independent review into the feasibility and practicality of tidal lagoon energy in the UK.

The review will be led by UK’s former energy minister Charles Hendry, with the results expected to be announced in the autumn.