Lagoon power would be very expensive

INDUSTRY and life need continuous electricity, however tidal power cannot generate continuously.

There are two tides in every 24 hours. For several hours at high and low tide there is no flow so no energy to turn turbines. There is only strong flow/energy at half tide when turbines could generate large volumes of electricity. There will obviously have to be a significant difference in the water levels inside and outside the lagoon before this can happen.

Therefore, tidal power, either using a lagoon or tidal stream, can only generate power for four periods in every 24 hours. Two of these will occur at night when there is the least need for it.

Other power stations are needed for back-up when tidal power is not generating in the daytime and demand is high.

“Greening” is reported to have made electricity here twice as expensive as in the rest of the

EU and four times more than in America, no-one knows how many times more expensive than in China and the rest of the Far East.

This is a huge handicap on all UK industries, making it very difficult for them to compete for contracts with export trade.

Carwyn Jones says the lagoon should get the same price as given to Hinkley Point C, that was reported to be twice the price of other electricity at that time.

This appears to make power from the lagoon very expensive, especially if the power from it at night has to be paid for but is not used. If it is not paid for then only the power produced in daytime will have to pay for the building costs. Is that a viable proposition or will the price for the daytime power have to be far higher?

CV Cateaux Pembrokeshire