Mostyn tidal energy scheme surges ahead after two milestones reached

Mostyn SeaPower Ltd, a subsidiary of the Port of Mostyn, revealed they are now going out to tender for review of the initial design and costings for the scheme that would create 300 construction jobs and employ 35 people during its operational life of over 100 years.

How the lagoon will look.

They have also embarked on a second year of ecological surveys of the priority species of fish, birds and mammals in the Dee Estuary.

In addition, a review is being held into the layout and position of the lagoon wall and to assess advances in turbine technology.

All of this comes on the heels of news last year that the preliminary findings of a seabed survey were “very encouraging”.

The study concluded that the seabed of the estuary is well-suited to bear the weight of the proposed 6.7-kilometre lagoon wall, stretching from the breakwater at Mostyn to Point of Ayr in Flintshire.

The renewable energy scheme would provide low carbon electricity for 82,000 homes as well as four miles of flood defences for homes, businesses and the strategically important Crewe to Holyhead railway line and A548 Coast Road.

Jim O’Toole, managing director of the Port of Mostyn, believes it will be one of the biggest infrastructure schemes in North Wales for many years.

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As well as helping the regional economy to bounce back after being hammered by the pandemic, it would also address the increasingly serious climate crisis and soaring energy costs.

He said that studies are being carried out to establish data about the ecologically important species in the tidal area of the estuary.

Pictured is Jim O'Toole - Managing Director of the Port of Mostyn. (Picture courtesy of Mandy Jones)

“This data will provide the information necessary for comparisons to be made of the populations and behaviour of the species when the lagoon becomes operational,” Mr O’Toole said.

“We expect to continue monitoring the wildlife for several years after the lagoon starts operating.”

They have installed a specially designed net to their boat to trawl the estuary for species of interest, which will be inspected before being returned back into the estuary.

“This is an important element in the programme because all this information will be included in the environmental impact statement as part of the process in support of our General Development Order application for the scheme,” Mr O’Toole added.

They expect to complete this study programme at the end of this year and hope to get consent by the end of 2023.

Mr O’Toole added: “To date we have invested heavily without any government funding in getting to this point but we now need support to give potential funders added confidence to invest in the project.”

The port had taken a similar path 17 years ago when offshore wind power was in its infancy.

He added: “Mostyn is the birthplace of UK’s offshore wind industry and to date around 500 offshore turbines have been installed from the port.

“The UK’s first commercial wind farm, North Hoyle off Prestatyn, which has 30 turbines is still operating.

“What we’re proposing with our tidal lagoon is to replicate that approach with a demonstrator project which will have a design life in excess of 100 years whereas the design life of a wind turbine is in the order of 25 to 30 years.”

Pictured on board the Eileen Mostyn boat are Ellis Humphreys; operations manager, with workshop managers Mike Worsley and Richard Jones.(Image courtesy of Mandy Jones)

He said there are proposals for eight other lagoons around the Welsh coast as it has the benefit of high tidal ranges - making it extremely well suited for this form of renewable energy.

“Given our current energy crisis with electricity costs, continually increasing, investing in predictable tidal power that’s not reliant on the sun to shine or the wind to blow would appear to be a logical solution in terms of securing a long-term stable supply,” Mr O’Toole said.

“In terms of our project’s progress, we’re on time and on budget and if we get the go-ahead, it will be the gift that keeps on giving for a century or more.”