Underwater turbines in the Pentland Firth have set a new world record, according to developer Atlantis Resources.

Two tidal turbines generated enough electricity to power 2000 homes last month, they said.

Atlantis intends to install 269 turbines in the strait between Orkney and Caithness.

They will be capable of generating 398 megawatts of renewable energy and power 175,000 houses, it is claimed.

Director of project delivery David Taaffe said: "The production performance from the installed turbines on the MeyGen project has been very good.

"August proved to be a world record month, providing enough energy to power 2000 Scottish homes from just two turbines.

"With yet another successful installation campaign expertly completed this week by the Atlantis operations team, we expect to continue to break records throughout the rest of the year generating both predictable power and revenue."

WWF Scotland welcomed the news the Meygen turbines had set a new record for monthly production from a tidal stream power station.

Dr Sam Gardner, acting director of WWF Scotland, said: ""News of this world record is a really exciting moment.

"This is a sign that Scotland is really making progress in harnessing the power of our seas and that we're on our way to securing a low carbon future.

"By supporting projects like this one, which provide clean, predictable, homegrown power, the Scottish Government can help fight climate change, strengthen our energy security and drive further job creation in sustainable industries."

The turbines exploit the powerful tidal streams of the firth to create electricity, similar to the way onshore turbines use wind.

The project has been partly financed through a series of grants, including £23m from the Scottish Government.

A similar project in Shetland became the first in the world to supply electricity to the national grid last year.