Former Atkins chief to lead Swansea tidal lagoon plan

Keith Clarke, the former WS Atkins chief, will lead the Swansea tidal lagoon power station project in the UK.

The project involves the development of a six-mile horseshoe shaped sea wall in the bay, creating a lagoon that fills up and depletes with the tide, driving power turbines. The project will have a capacity of 320 MW. Construction works are scheduled to start in 2015, the project is expected to be operational by late 2018.

The total project investment is estimated at about £1 billion (US$1.63 billion).

Keith Clarke led Atkins for eight years to 2011 increasing revenue by 40%.

Mr Clarke commented:

It will set the standard for a new kind of energy infrastructure and has truly global implications. It is the right project at the right time for me and I am relishing the prospect of getting back into major project delivery and building a best-in-class team.

Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay Plc, stated:

We want the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon to establish a blueprint for a series of tidal lagoons that allow the UK to harness its incredible range resource. Keith understands the challenges of building large infrastructure and the climate imperative to do so in a low carbon manner. And he has grown exceptional teams to achieve exceptional results.