Image: An example of some of the devices that could be tested in the sea off St Catherine’s if the MMO license is approved
Those beind the Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC) have recently lodged an amendment to their application with the Marine Management Organisation.
An application for a licence to use the area off St Catherine’s is currently with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for consideration. If the license is approved, the area could be used by number of different companies to test their tidal energy schemes.
Reduction in height of some towers
In a letter to the MMO on 24th August, PTEC say,
This letter is to confirm PTEC’s position on this matter; being that certain surface piercing tidal devices, which are currently limited to 18m above Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT), namely the ‘fixed bottom mounted surface piercing tower’ and ‘transverse axis with fixed surface piercing support columns’ device types, will be reduced within the Rochdale Envelope to 9m above LAT.
In carrying out this voluntary mitigation, the MMO has agreed to the following:
- There will be no knock-on effects or material impacts on all assessments and work carried out to date as part of the PTEC Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Statement and
- This reduction is done on the condition that this mitigation does not represent a ‘material
We look forward to continuing the determination process with the MMO.
Amendment accepted
The MMO has accepted the proposals as an amendment to the plans, which, as a whole, are still under consideration.
The MMO confirmed to OnTheWight that no decision will be made in September and maybe not even October.
It’s thought by those closely following the application that the changes could be a result of the assets of Marine Current Turbines being sold to Atlantis Resources in April this year.
The paperwork
Details of the amendment to the height of the towers can be found in Chapter Five of the application below.
Correspondence between PTEC and the MMO
Have your say
Comments on the amendments are invited from the public by 2nd October. You can email your response to the application (Ref: MLA/2014/00563) to David Morris by emailing [email protected]
Or send by letter:
David Morris
Offshore Licensing Case Officer
Her Majesty’s Government – Marine Management Organisation
Lancaster House
Hampshire Court
Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7YH
