FIRST Minister Mark Drakeford has stated a commitment to marine energy including tidal lagoons.

He was speaking immediately prior to a Welsh Government cabinet meeting held in Llandudno Junction on Thursday February 21.

This was only the second time the cabinet has met in North Wales, the previous occasion was in 2011.

He had been asked about the future of the proposed tidal lagoon which would stretching from Llandudno to Prestatyn, following the uncertainty about the future of the proposed Wylfa nuclear power station.

It is claimed the lagoon would pump 2.5 gigawatts of clean, renewable electricity into the National Grid every year and provide power to over a million homes.

It would also provide the necessary protection for vulnerable homes, businesses, road and rail links, creating 20,000 jobs in the process.

Mr Drakeford said: “I have long believed that energy from the sea is one of the major contributions that Wales will be able to make to the future energy needs of the whole of the United Kingdom.

“It has been very disappointing that the UK Government has not been prepared to put a regime in place to encourage the growth of marine energy in the way that there was when energy from the wind was first developing,

“We are committed to supporting marine energy including tidal lagoon technology where there is a case to do that. But marine energy is more than tidal lagoons, all the other things that are going on in the Menai Straits, on the island of Anglesey as well.

“We want to see Wales being in the forefront of those developments where breakthrough technologies today will create the industries of tomorrow.”