Dawnus Construction is to begin work on a hydro-electric power project after signing a contract with Cardiff Council.

The Radyr Weir scheme will channel water through two turbines adjacent to the River Taff and use it to generate energy that can then be fed into the National Grid.

Construction is set to be completed by the end of next March, and the project will generate enough electricity to power 550 homes.

Ramesh Patel, Cardiff Council cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, said: “This innovative scheme is going to have real benefits for the environment.

“We are already taking advantage of cutting-edge technology such as photo-voltaic panels, land-fill gas and hydrogen extraction to create a more sustainable future for Cardiff, and the Radyr Weir scheme is another exciting part of that journey.”

Meanwhile, Laing O’Rourke has been named as the preferred bidder for the £200 million contract to deliver the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon’s turbine house and sluice structure block.

The privately owned engineering company will require up to 500 workers at peak construction, a substantial number of whom will be local to South Wales. Concrete and other materials will also be sourced locally.