Eleven companies and organisations have expressed an interest in delivering a tidal lagoon for Swansea Bay – the project has an estimated £1.3 billion price tag,

Swansea Council – working in partnership with the Swansea Bay City Region – has decided to press ahead with the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon development rejected by the Government in June this year.

Widespread reports in the media are suggesting that the Government is set to reject plans for a tidal power lagoon in Swansea Bay this week.

Research released today shows overwhelming backing for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon among Conservative MPs and Councillors, with more than four in five saying they support the project (84% of Conservative councillors and 83% of Conservative MPs).

The Government has announced that the Independent Review of Tidal Lagoons will be led by industry expert Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy from May 2010 until September 2012, supported by a team of seconded civil servants.

Green energy company Ecotricity believes it can build tidal lagoon energy sites in Britain for almost half the price currently proposed for Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

Gupta family interests, which have been investing heavily in UK energy and industrial assets over recent months, have today committed to an eight-figure investment over time in the development of tidal lagoon power plant in the UK and India.

Laing O’Rourke has been named as preferred bidder for the £200M contract to deliver the 410 metre turbine house and sluice structure block for the £1 billion Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project.

Andrew McNaughton, FREng, CEng, FICE, is joining Tidal Lagoon Power as Director of Engineering and Construction and will oversee the technical development of world-leading British infrastructure to harness power from the rise and fall of the tides.