UK Severn Barrage of Turbines Could Provide 5% of UK’s Electricity

October 15th, 2007 by Steve Evans

Tidal power generated from more than 200 turbines in a 10-mile long barrage across the Severn estuary, could provide nearly 5% of Britain’s electricity for 120 years with minimal climate change emissions and should be investigated urgently, government advisers have said.

However, what would be Britain’s largest power project and one of the most ambitious civil engineering challenges in the world, would significantly affect the visual and marine environment for up to 30 miles around it and have mixed long-term economic and ecological impacts, said the Sustainable Development Commission.

It would mean the loss of 11,000 hectares of inter-tidal and other protected land, could limit the expansion of shipping in the estuary and would affect miles of beaches as well as the Severn bore. However, it could also provide a much-needed river crossing and be a fillip to tourism and the economies of Wales and south-west England, it said.

Controversially, the advisory body’s report insisted that the £15bn scheme should be paid for by government. “It is imperative that a project of this national importance should be publicly-led and publicly-owned – but, we do not rule out private enterprise partners” – said Jonathon Porritt, chair of the commission.

“The potential for [it] to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security needs to be balanced against the impact on the estuary’s unique habitat, as well as communities and businesses” – he added.