Minesto AB (publ) announced that it has been successfully verified in its first phase of operation. Given the stable system behaviour, Minesto concludes the technology risks of scale-up have been significantly reduced. The Minesto 1.2 MW tidal powerplant - Dragon 12 - has since installation two weeks ago delivered as expected during its first phase of operation at its grid-connected mono-pile seabed foundation in Vestmannasund, Faroe Islands.

Building on experience from Dragon 4 (the smaller 100kW system), control capacity and simulation environments, all core operating functions such as starting, turning with the tidal flow and electricity generation have been successfully verified in the initial testing. The Dragon 12 has been generating and flying in its 8-shaped trajectory with an outer dimension of 70 meters at an average flight depth of 50 meters all as stipulated by the control system. The powerplant is monitored and controlled remotely by Minesto and interfaced with the grid management system at SEV's main control room in Torshavn.

Dragon 12 is powerful and designed to create large forces, making it sound to push and fine tune the system stepwise to manage and control these forces optimally. The system is responding as predicted, creating a solid base for the coming activities which will focus on dialing in various settings in the Dragon 12 control system.