Select committee report concludes Hafren Power proposal lacks detail and comes with 鈥渉igh risk鈥� of environmental damage
MPs have slammed plans for a 拢25bn Severn Barrage scheme and said 鈥渇ar more detail鈥� is required before the government can support the project.
Developer Hafren Power has claimed the scheme, which is being drawn-up by engineers Mott MacDonald, URS, Bechtel and Arup, would generate 16.5 terawatt hours per year of electricity, enough to meet 5% of the UK鈥檚 electricity needs.
But today鈥檚 report by the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change committee said the case for the scheme was 鈥渦nproven鈥�.
Conservative MP Tim Yeo, chair of the committee, said it was 鈥渘o knight in shining armour for UK renewables鈥�.
He said 鈥渋nnovative solutions鈥� were needed to decarbonise the UK鈥檚 electricity supply.
But he added: 鈥淭idal and marine projects must demonstrate their economic, environmental and technological credentials and their ability to gain stakeholder support. The Hafren Power proposal failed to achieve this.鈥�
The report concluded the environmental impact of the barrage was 鈥渧ery considerable鈥� and there was 鈥渁 high risk of unintended and possibly damaging consequences鈥�.
It said there were still 鈥渟erious questions鈥� to be answered on the ability to provide replacement habitat for wildlife which would lose their habitat is the barrage.
The report also said the cost of the electricity was likely to be 鈥渃onsiderably higher鈥� than Hafren Power had estimated. The developer has said it would need to agree with the government a guaranteed price of around 拢100/MWh for the next 30 years under the government鈥檚 reforms of the energy market.
Plus, it said the company鈥檚 expectation that a Hybrid Bill for the scheme could be passed within two and a half years was 鈥渃ompletely unrealistic鈥�.
It added: 鈥淲e note that the Hybrid Bill route does not offer an open and fully accountable process for stakeholders and affected parties.鈥�
It also said there were 鈥渟erious questions remaining鈥� about the impact of the barrage on shipping in the area due to changes in water levels.
The report said the lack of information from Hafren Power had led to 鈥渁 sense of mistrust on the part of some stakeholders鈥�.
Tony Pryor, chief executive of Hafren Power, said the report was 鈥渦nhelpful and frustrating鈥�, but that he was aware there was more work to do.
He added: 鈥淭he government has already told us it is not against the barrage and we are determined to press ministers and officials to engage fully. We believe the environmental and economic issues can be solved with everyone working together.鈥�
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