MCT/npower

Interesting announcement from MCT and npower. npower has joined with MCT in a new company Seagen Wales, which will pursue the project.

They say that "Development of the site will start with a full assessment and detailed surveys of the environment and tidal resources, followed by preparation of an outline scheme incorporating the studies' outcomes.

Studies are about to get started and will last throughout 2008, with a consent application likely to be submitted in mid 2009. Construction and commissioning timescales will be subject to the length of the planning process, but it is anticipated this could take place between 2011 and 2012."

Of the big six utilities (Centrica, EdF, Eon, RWE, SSE, Scottish Power), five have now announced marine renewables aspirations:

EdF has a shareholding in Marine Current Turbines;
Eon has an involvement in the Lunar/Rotech Pembrokeshore tidal project
RWE (npower) has just announced this investment
SSE has the Neptune tidal and Aquamarine wave interests
Scottish Power (Iberdrola) has its Orkney Pelamis project

Surely Centrica's got to move soon?