Construction News

30/07/2008

Foster Visits 'Hiccup' Stricken Strangford Tidal System

Energy Minister Arlene Foster has visited the tidal energy system at Strangford Lough, which ran into trouble 48 hours after a trail run last week.

The Minister was there to see for herself the progress being made at the world's first commercial scale tidal energy system.

Ms Foster was taken by boat to view the Seagen installation at first hand.

The mechanism is located 400 metres offshore, where the strong tidal flows of Strangford Lough occur.

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The 1.2MW twin-rotor system, which was developed by Bristol firm, Marine Current Turbines (MCT), was installed in the Lough in April.

It has since commenced the generation of small amounts of electricity for the national grid and is expected to generate sufficient clean, renewable electricity for some 1,000 homes in Northern Ireland, upon completion of its commissioning later this year.

However, the system hit a technical "hiccup" last week after a software problem resulted in two blades sustaining damage.

See: Strangford Tidal Turbine Stalls

(PR/JM)

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