Welsh government backs Morlais tidal scheme with £8m

The Welsh Government has announced that it has taken an £8 million ($9.9 million) equity stake in the Morlais tidal scheme to drive project progress.

Owned and managed by Ynys Môn social enterprise Menter Môn, the Morlais tidal scheme will be operational from 2026 and will generate enough energy for up to 180,000 typical Welsh households.

The Welsh Government investment will help fund the Cydnerth phase of the project, which will see the grid connection strengthened at Parc Cybi, Holyhead.

Cabinet secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, commented on the funding announcement: "Our investment will support Menter Môn Morlais to scale up capacity, and develop an industrial cluster for tidal energy and innovation in north Wales, whilst delivering jobs and growth through its pioneering technology, keeping the value local.

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"This will further benefit clean energy suppliers of all sizes and position Wales at the forefront of the energy transition."

Dafydd Gruffydd, managing director of Menter Môn said: "We welcome the Minister’s announcement, which strengthens our ability to deliver clean energy and local jobs through the Morlais project. This funding supports our vision to position north Wales as a leader in tidal energy innovation, creating opportunities for growth and collaboration across the region."

Morlais is located in an area of 35Km² near Ynys Cybi (Holy Island), Ynys Môn (Anglesey). The scheme has the potential to generate up to 240MW of low carbon clean electricity.