The British Hydropower Association (BHA) has responded to the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) Strategic Case for Tidal Range, calling it an important step forward, but one that falls short of fully capturing the true value and potential of tidal range within the UK’s future energy mix.
Published on 24 October, the NESO study is the first whole-system analysis of tidal range in over a decade. It confirms that up to 8GW of tidal range capacity could be added to the grid with less than 0.2% system impact, demonstrating strong system compatibility. It also finds that using a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) financing model would limit consumer impact to just ~0.1%, making tidal range effectively cost-neutral for households.
However, the BHA emphasises that the report’s findings represent only a partial view, with several critical dimensions left unexplored. Importantly, NESO’s modelling used just one weather year, one market framework, and a single scenario, excluding major benefits such as energy resilience, long-term cost stability, flood defence, supply chain development, industrial capability, and wider Green Book co-benefits.
As a result, the BHA says that while NESO has opened the door for tidal range, a much deeper evidence base is needed to inform ministers ahead of the 2026 Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). It warns that without additional modelling and policy analysis, tidal range could be undervalued in national energy strategy decisions.
To address this, the sector is proposing a Tidal Range Task & Finish Group, jointly led by NESO, DESNZ, HM Treasury, and the Crown Estate. Over six months, the group would consolidate datasets, rerun modelling using multiple scenarios and tidal-year profiles, and provide a peer-reviewed whole-system assessment, capturing both economic and non-energy benefits.
The BHA also stresses tidal range’s role in supporting predictable baseload generation, coastal protection, long-term energy security, and UK-based manufacturing and supply chain resilience. Its 120-year asset life sets it apart from intermittent renewables and positions it as strategic national infrastructure, not just another clean energy technology.
Read the BHA’s response to the NESO report here.
