New call for immediate approval of bay lagoon

THE Lib Dems are calling on the UK Government to give the immediate go-ahead to the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project – and start plans for a programme of other tidal lagoons including ones in Cardiff, Colwyn Bay, and Newport.

Party leader Sir Vince Cable said tidal lagoons could provide up to 10 per cent of Britain’s future electricity needs, as well as providing tens of thousands of jobs. The £1.3bn Swansea Bay scheme was backed by the government-commissioned Hendry report in January, which would said it was a “no regrets” policy – but Downing Street is yet to make up its mind.

Sir Vince said there was an exciting future for green energy, and not pushing ahead with the Swansea project was a “wasted opportunity”. He said: “We have a huge advantage in being an island nation, we are surrounded by seas with extraordinary power that can be harnessed to generate our energy.

“Yet the government are failing to reap the benefits by refusing to make a decision on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, despite the Hendry review, which they commissioned themselves, clearly stating that it should go ahead.

“This unnecessary deadlock must come to an end. It is a wasted opportunity for Wales and for the UK’s clean economy not to start work on this project.

“The Conservative government have always been negative about the benefits of green energy, arguing that costs are too high. But evidence shows, as in the recent examples in the wind industry, that the cost of energy comes down as technology improves. This is likely to be the first of many lagoons, once the technology has been tried and tested and the cost comes down. There is an exciting future ahead for our renewables industry.”

The proposed tidal lagoon would see a six-mile long curved sea wall built in Swansea Bay which would trap the incoming tide twice a day, and then release the water through 16 huge turbines to generate electricity.

Supporters say the lagoon would generate enough power for 155,000 homes – and could be the launchpad for a chain of similar lagoons around the coast.

In July Welsh Secretaty Alun Cairns, Tory MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, said he remained “supportive” of the lagoon, adding it was “essential that we ensure the project represents value for money”.

Concerns have been expressed at the lack of action. Last week Swansea West Labour MP Geraint Davies said he feared the lagoon could join the now-abandoned rail electrification to Swansea in being “set to burn on the altar of Brexit fundamentalism”.