The quartet of 1.5MW machines, three designed and built by Andritz and one from Atlantis Resources, will make up phase 1A of the giant 398MW project, which fully built-out will be made up of 269 turbines generating enough electricity to supply 175,000 homes.

"Today marks a historic milestone not just for Atlantis and our project partners, but for the entire global tidal power industry," states Tim Cornelius, chief executive of Atlantis Resources.