A major tidal project off Anglesey will benefit from £31m of funding in what is likely to be the last large grant from the EU’s regional funding programme. The news has been reported in the BBC and NationCymru.

Wales’ Climate Change Minister Julie James confirmed the funding would be given to Menter Môn for the Morlais infrastructure project. The project aims to develop tidal power generation technologies by providing grid connectivity. It is also expected to create jobs and boost skills in the area.

The Morlais project would see a development on 35 sq km (13 sq miles) of seabed, generating up to 240MW of electricity from the power of the tides in the Irish Sea. It would make it one of the largest tidal stream energy sites in the world.

In addition, the Crown Estate is investing £1.2 million to support the project to deliver its environmental monitoring and mitigation package (EMMP) – an essential step in safeguarding the marine environment and enabling the project to progress. The work will monitor for interactions with sensitive species, as well as testing ongoing monitoring technologies.

An Advisory Group is being established to oversee the development and delivery of the work, with a membership that includes representatives from the Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government, JNCC, environmental NGOs, the Isle of Anglesey County Council, and tidal stream developers. Anticipated EMMP delivery partners include Bangor University, Swansea University and SMRU Consulting, strengthening links between the research, energy and innovation sectors. More information on the Crown Estate’s investment can be read here.