But according to his calculations, during storms such as Monday's, the wave power potential down the 124 miles (200km) lengthof the Western Isles could match the output of 120 Torness-sized nuclear power stations.
It was felt along the lengthof Sumatra but, unlike the one on December 26th, did not trigger a great wave and so devastated only a relatively small area: the islands of Nias and Simeulue and neighbouring islets about 130km (80 miles) off the coast.