Barrage plans could be on hold
CAMPAIGNERS fear the future of the massive Severn tidal barrage scheme is under threat following delays to the key studies into the impact of the project.
Speculation has been mounting that plans to harness power from the South West estuary's tidal range – which boasts enough power to generate five per cent of the UK's energy needs – are to be shelved because of the £21 billion-plus price tag and a change of Government.
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Shelved? An artist's impression of the proposed barrage for the Severn estuary.
A recent meeting of the project's south west advisory group was postponed as reports into the economic and environmental effects have yet to be completed.
The news of this doubt will please many wildlife campaigners. Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust said destroying the delicate ecosystems in the estuary could irreparably damage habitats.
Energy Minister Lord Hunt told Parliament this month that feasibility studies would be released later this year.
Last October, The Times reported a source saying that ministers were "moving towards a political fudge". "They will say they are delaying it but in reality, the lifeline on offer will not be worth very much."
Yesterday, the RSPB's regional policy officer, Mark Robins, said: "It would be tragic if the Government's studies were going cold on a sustainable energy scheme for the Severn.
"As one of the world's hotspots for tidal energy and a wonderful wild ecosystem, the opportunity demands a progressive innovative approach that can harness the low carbon power while not sacrificing the wildlife of this amazing estuary.
"The real tragedy is with the barrage-focussed nature of the studies too date – if the last two years have got us no nearer to finding an alternative non-barrage technology – we may be left no nearer finding a sustainable tidal power technology."
The Department for Energy and Climate Change has said the government is carrying out a two-year feasibility study into whether it could support a tidal power project in the Severn estuary.
A spokesman said the study was "still ongoing", but a deadline was not formally set. As the whether it has been shelved, she said: "Not at the moment. Especially not at moment. The next government might want to put it at the heart. It just depends."
11 Comments
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by Rachael C Louise, Glos
Tuesday, April 13 2010, 10:13AM
“See, even the fish are mutating!”
by Simon Henly, Eastington
Tuesday, April 13 2010, 9:38AM
“Or a Brown Trout”
by Paul, Cheltenham
Monday, April 12 2010, 11:05PM
“Hi Quedgley Guy
"The River Severn is used for Sewage Disposal ,which would mean that Severn Trent would have to come up with a different way of handling out Human Waste.( An added cost)"
Clearly saying that sewerage goes into the rive how else can you interpret "The River Severn is used for Sewage Disposal"?
No sewage goes into the river only clean water. The river is water so that makes no difference. In fact the treated water is probably cleaner that the existing river!
I understand your dislike of the barrage, but to bring in sewage into the argument is just a red herring.”
by Simon Henly, Eastington
Monday, April 12 2010, 6:04PM
“Surely the answer is in something like the undersea turbine in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. This scheme uses something similar to a wind turbine but underwater and does not dam-up the estuary allowing electricity generation from a guaranteed tidal source and does not massivly amage the natural habitat. Everybody happy!”
by Kay Powell, Tredworth
Monday, April 12 2010, 5:40PM
“The barrage was a bad idea from the start, so I am glad that it may not go ahead.”