The developers of a proposed tidal lagoon power plant in the UK have selected a GE-Andritz Hydro consortium as its preferred bidder for the supply of electromechanical equipment.
Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay plc is planning to build the world’s first tidal lagoon hydropower plant in South Wales. It has signed an advance works agreement with the GE-Andritz consortium, which bid around €400 million for the contract.
The contract covers the supply of 16 bidirectional tidal turbine-generators, each with a capacity of over 20 MW. They will be installed in the Severn Estuary, which has the second highest tidal range in the world.
GE and Andritz expect the main order to be finalised later in 2015 after requirements and procedures have been fulfilled. Commercial operation of the £1 billion project is expected to start in 2019.
The turbines will be based on Andritz Hydro technology while GE will manufacture the generators. Both companies have committed to manufacturing the majority of the large turbine components and the generators in Britain, and will also operate a dockside turbine assembly plant in Wales.
Tidal Lagoon Power intends to follow the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, scheduled to commence construction later this year, with five full-scale tidal lagoons in UK waters. Between them, the six projects could provide eight per cent of the UK’s electricity for the next 120 years.
Sian Crampsie
