Tidal Lagoon Power has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment scoping report for a planned tidal lagoon between Cardiff and Newport to the Planning Inspectorate.
The document of over 400 pages in length represents the first step in bringing the proposed tidal lagoon off Cardiff to reality. Site selection and feasibility studies for the project began in 2011.
The proposed Cardiff Tidal Lagoon will be the UK’s first full-scale tidal lagoon power plant building upon the experience gained on Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project, according to the company.
Plans for Tidal Lagoon Cardiff include up to 90 turbines set within a 22 km breakwater that will enclose an area of around 70 km2 with an average tidal range of 9.21 m. The Western landfall is set approximately 2 km from the entrance to Cardiff Bay and the Eastern landfall would be approximately 2 km from the mouth of the River Usk.
The lagoon has a design life of 120 years, will generate power for approximately 14 hours each day and could be powered on in 2022, the company’s press release reads.
The planned capacity of the Cardiff Tidal Lagoon is set between 1.8 GW and 2.8 GW, with the annual output of 4 TW/h to 6 TW/h, and is estimated to power around 1.5 million households in UK.
Mark Shorrock , Chief Executive of Tidal Lagoon Power, said: “We will build on the template established for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon – applying the expertise and learning, scaling the UK supply chain and Turbine Assembly Plant, leveraging the institutional investor partnerships we have developed – to deliver a Cardiff Tidal Lagoon capable of working in harmony with nature to supply around 1.5 million UK homes, now and for generations to come, with affordable, reliable, low carbon electricity.”
The planning application is expected to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by Q2 2017. The decision on whether to accept or decline the application will be made 28 days upon the receipt of the application, after it has been reviewed.
Tidal Lagoon Power has also confirmed that early feasibility and engagement work is underway relating to the delivery of four other full-scale UK tidal lagoons at Newport, West Cumbria, Colwyn Bay and Bridgwater Bay.
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Image: Tidal Lagoon Power