MeyGen turbine to be redeployed as world-leading Pentland Firth tidal stream site pushes forward
Works to install a repaired tidal turbine in the Pentland Firth are expected to get under way by the end of this month.
It has been reported that Simec Atlantis Energy, which owns the MeyGen scheme, has scheduled subsea works for late October, when it aims to reinstate one of the site’s four turbines.
An interim report published last month showed that running costs at the world-leading tidal energy site had halved to £1.5 million in the latest six-month period “following the completion of major turbine repair and maintenance in the first half of 2023”.
Chairman Duncan Black stated: “MeyGen has now generated 68GWh, 65 per cent of global tidal stream generation and more than 80 per cent of UK tidal stream generation, reinforcing MeyGen’s position as the world leader in this technology.
“We are on schedule to redeploy the fourth MeyGen turbine in Q4-24 bringing the array up to its full 6MW capacity.”
Simec would only confirm that the repaired turbine would be installed in the final quarter of this year, and that it was on track to achieve this.
The site, home to the largest operational tidal stream in the world, has four 1.5MW turbines, with three currently operational.
Mr Black continued: “The MeyGen Phase 1 array continues to operate successfully, with three turbines in stable operations whilst the fourth is currently completing preventative maintenance and upgrade works.
“The MeyGen operations team is doing an excellent job operating and maintaining the MeyGen Phase 1 turbines and has developed invaluable expertise and experience that is both enabling the ongoing successful operation of MeyGen Phase 1 and which is being applied to the development of MeyGen Phase 2.”
The second phase will see the site increase to 59MW to create the world’s first commercial scale tidal array. Future phases are planned to expand MeyGen to its total consented capacity of 398MW.
The company is also behind plans to develop the 300MW Mey Battery Energy Storage System.