The Conservative Group on Swansea Council has written to Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, outlining the key reasons why the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon should go ahead.
The letter sets out the economic benefits the project could bring to our region, in terms of establishing a hub for tidal lagoon energy in Swansea which would provide good jobs for local people and also the value it can add to our tourism sector.
Following a boat trip around the footprint of the proposed Lagoon, the Conservative Group decided to make their support for the project known at the highest levels of Government and highlight the huge local support for it.
You can read the letter below:
Dear Greg,
I hope you are keeping well.
I am writing to you on behalf of the Conservative Group on the City & County of Swansea Council, with regard to the proposed Tidal Lagoon in Swansea Bay, a project that has the full support of the group and the support of the vast majority of the people of Swansea and Gower.
The Tidal Lagoon in Swansea Bay would be a world first and a pathfinder for future UK and international tidal lagoons and as the Hendry Review concluded “After years of debating, the evidence is I believe clear that tidal lagoons can play a cost-effective part of the UK’s energy mix”.
The project is also considered a catalyst for regeneration in the Swansea Bay City Region, featuring prominently in the Swansea Bay City Deal.
Giving the Tidal Lagoon the go-ahead, would therefore give a huge boost to the economy of Swansea and Wales as a whole, which due to the Welsh Labour Government’s failure in running the economy in Wales, is sadly the UK’s least productive nation.
If the UK Conservative Government gave the green light to this project, there would be great benefits to Swansea, by providing:
· Clean energy
· Energy security. Indeed, if the Cardiff Bay Lagoon was also built, then Wales would become
a net exporter of energy
· Unlike wind power, a tidal lagoon would create energy 24 hours a day
· Good jobs, not just during construction, but for the long term
· A turbine manufacturing and assembly facility providing much needed manufacturing jobs
· Open access to a 6 mile seawall for spectacular walks, runs, rides and views
· Outdoor amenities including playground, beach and rock pools
· An Iconic offshore visitor centre
· A Tidal Power Skills Academy to embed cutting-edge technical skills locally
· Open access for school, public and professional water sports
· A boating centre
· A lobster and oyster hatchery
· A marine aquaculture zone for local business
· Conservation and biodiversity schemes including seawall colonisation and new salt marsh, dunes and grassland habitat
· Education and research partnerships with local schools, colleges and universities
Tidal Lagoon Power says that their major delivery partners have all made strong public statements regarding the maximisation of local employment, services and materials. This is such, that they can beat their self-imposed target of 50% of the ~£1bn project spend staying in Wales, rising to 65% in the UK as a whole.
They add that this pathfinder project in Swansea Bay, which Charles Hendry identified as a “no regrets decision” would greatly benefit the UK business and industrial strategy and that it’s estimated contribution to the Welsh economy would include:
· The creation of a UK & Wales supply chain for turbines, generators and turbine housings
· Direct spend of up to £900m
· An overall impact of £316m on Welsh GVA (Gross Value Added) during construction
· Support 1,900 jobs during construction
· An overall impact of £76m on Welsh GVA during each of its 120 years of operation
· Support of 181 jobs during each year of operation
The development of a fleet of 6 UK tidal lagoons, with 5 full-scale lagoons employing the supply chain foundations laid by the pathfinder at Swansea Bay, could:
· Contribute £27bn to UK GDP during construction
· Contribute £3.1bn to UK GDP in each year of the fleet’s 120 years of operation
· Create and sustain an average of 35,000 jobs during construction
· Create and sustain 6,400 jobs during each year of operation;
Tidal Lagoon Power says that the manufacture and assembly of components for the turbines and generators falls into four broad categories: fabricated metals, steel casting, forging and electrical & power electronics.
In their recent report to the Welsh Government, Miller Research and Semta, it is established that Wales alone has the present capability to provide 54% of the manufacturing and assembly of the main components required for the turbines, generators and sluices at Swansea Bay. It notes the potential to increase this figure to be as high as 92% in the future.
Tidal Lagoon Power also says that around two thirds of the labour demand (63%) is for technical / skilled occupations (the equivalent of Level 3 skills).
The largest proportion of jobs (49%) is for people working in the manufacture of fabricated metal industry, with a fifth (20%) of jobs requiring people working in steel casting, and 11% in forging / stamping metals. Therefore, a strategic approach would be needed to up-skill the existing workforce and develop the required number of new entrants into the industry.
Over 60% of the forecast labour demand can be accounted for by five occupations. These five occupations are plant operatives (17% of total demand), specialist building operatives (15 %), wood trades and interior fit-out (11%), labourers (11%) and maritime-related occupations (11%).
In addition, they say that the Turbine Manufacturing Plant (TMP) to be built in Swansea Docks, between Kings and Queens Docks, will be a private capital investment into the city of £22m. The plant will initially employ 100 high skilled workers. The potential domestic value to UK industry for Tidal Lagoon Turbines is worth £17bn. In addition, Tidal Lagoon Turbine Housing is worth £24bn and exports to an international tidal lagoon market are estimated to be worth £30bn.
This would be a real lifeline for UK Industry.
The turbines manufactured at Swansea for other tidal lagoons at the plant on Swansea Docks, which when completed, would be transported by sea, so, would not cause road congestion.
Over a 60 year period, a large scale lagoon can be less expensive than offshore wind and significantly less expensive than nuclear and this would be followed by 60 years of “subsidy free” power and would put the UK in the driving seat of this new technology.
The Conservative Group appreciate that this is a major investment and therefore the UK Government must get the figures right, but we hope that you will also appreciate that after many years deliberating and an independent report by Charles Hendry, himself a former Energy Minister, saying it would be a ‘no regrets decision’ that you will feel able to give the project the green light at the earliest opportunity, so would be grateful if you could indicate when this might be.
This project would be a great benefit to Swansea, Wales and the UK economy as a whole and it would mean that it would be the UK Conservative Government kick-starting the Welsh economy, providing jobs in construction, manufacturing, leisure, tourism and sport.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Lyndon Jones MBE
Leader of the Conservative Group on the City & County of Swansea Council
Cllr Myles Langstone
Deputy Leader
Cllr Will Thomas
Chief Whip
Cllr Brigitte Rowlands
Cllr Steve Gallagher
Cllr David Helliwell
Cllr Paxton Hood Williams
Cllr Linda Tyler-Lloyd