Jones Bros make waves by securing Anglesey tidal energy project22nd Mar 2022

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has secured the main contract worth £23.5 million to build onshore infrastructure for Anglesey marine energy project, Morlais.

The Ruthin-headquartered civil engineering firm will be responsible for the construction of the landfall substation on Holy Island, as well as cabling which will connect the scheme to the National Grid.

Work on the project, led by social enterprise Menter Môn is set to begin this spring with the potential generating capacity for Morlais at 240MW – enough to power around 180,000 typical households.

Contracts director for Jones Bros, Eryl Roberts, saying: “It is fantastic to have been appointed to deliver the infrastructure for such an innovative renewable scheme like Morlais, which is right on our own doorstep in north Wales.

“We are passionate about making an impact through renewables and our team has a strong track record in projects of this stature across the UK, so to bring those skills to Anglesey is something we are looking forward to.

“As with all our projects, we will also provide opportunities to the local supply chain and apprentices, and we are excited to begin work on site to deliver this important scheme.”

The announcement comes at the same time as confirmation of £31million by the European Regional Development fund through the Welsh Government for the first phase of construction work.

The Isle of Anglesey County Council, North Wales Growth Deal, as well as The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority have also supported the project.

Gerallt Llywelyn Jones, a director with Morlais, said: “We are delighted to be working with Jones Bros on this important project. Securing benefits to the north Wales economy has been very important to us and is the main reason we were so keen to create something with strong local roots.

“This contract is just the beginning of course; it is an important milestone to ensuring we can build local supply chains and create job opportunities here on Anglesey and across the wider region.

“But it’s not all about economy. With action to tackle climate change becoming ever more urgent, generating clean electricity is also becoming increasingly important.

“Jones Bros are experienced in delivering renewable energy projects – so we’re pleased to partner with them on a scheme which can make a real difference.”

Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros owns one of the largest plant fleets in the UK and employs approximately 500 people.

The company is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK.

The company runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, which has produced nearly 50 per cent of its current workforce, with many of its senior managers having started out as apprentices or in a trainee role. It has recruited more than 100 apprentices during the past three years.