Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 9, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has extended a two-year collaboration with K-Water, the Korean company behind the world’s largest tidal power facility at Sihwa Lake, to support plans for harnessing tidal energy from the River Mersey. The original memorandum of agreement (MoA), signed three years ago, has enabled technical knowledge sharing and contributed to the development of the Mersey tidal power project, which could generate up to one gigawatt of clean, predictable electricity at low production costs, while creating thousands of jobs and supporting the UK’s energy security and net-zero ambitions.

The MoA extension was signed on Wednesday in Liverpool by Mayor Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) Chief Executive Katherine Fairclough, and K-Water Executive Vice-President Jang Byeong-hoon. Rotheram said: “Building the UK’s first tidal scheme is a complex business, but our collaboration with K-Water has been a genuine partnership of shared learning and ambition. Over the past three years, we’ve benefited enormously from their world-leading expertise in tidal power – experience that has helped shape and strengthen our own plans for Mersey Tidal Power.”

The collaboration has included technical exchanges with K-Water and Sihwa Lake’s lead contractor, Daewoo E&C, covering the design, construction, and operation of the Sihwa facility. Site visits to Sihwa Lake have informed approaches to operation and maintenance protocols for the Mersey project. A focus has been placed on AI-powered modeling to optimize energy generation, and the Mersey tidal team has developed its own predictive model for hydrodynamics, with ongoing work exploring integration of both systems for future tidal projects.

Jang Byeong-hoon said: “K-Water first established its connection with LCRCA three years ago, and today we have signed an MoA for the Mersey tidal and carbon-neutral technology cooperation here in Liverpool. I hope that through this event, our cooperative relationship will strengthen, ensuring the successful development of the Mersey tidal project and advancing our efforts for carbon neutrality.”

Since the initial MoA in December 2022, Liverpool City Region has expanded cooperation with South Korea, including a 2023 five-year MoU with Busan Metropolitan City to promote collaboration in digital innovation, smart cities, clean energy, and health.

The River Mersey’s natural characteristics—a narrow entrance opening into a wide lagoon with a significant tidal range—make it suitable for large-scale tidal generation. The project, currently in the planning phase, is expected to supply renewable energy for over 120 years, while contributing to flood protection and supporting regional industry.

K-Water’s Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant has produced 552 GWh of renewable electricity annually since 2011, offsetting roughly 862,000 barrels of oil per year. K-Water manages South Korea’s water resources, including dams, estuary dykes, and canals, while overseeing water supply, quality control, and renewable energy initiatives nationwide.

Public support for the Mersey tidal project is strong, with 84% of respondents in the Liverpool City Region endorsing the initiative during the first public engagement held in January. The extended MoA strengthens technical cooperation and knowledge transfer to help realize the UK’s first large-scale tidal energy scheme.