Severn barrage wrong option for tidal power

14 May 2012

14 May 2012

Peter Hain today (14 May) resigned as shadow Welsh Secretary, in order to campaign for a massive tidal barrage that would stretch across the Severn Estuary from Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare.

But leading environment group, Friends of the Earth Cymru, believes Mr Hain is supporting the wrong option. The Severn barrage proposed has the potential to be environmentally devastating, and could block other technologies capable of harnessing the immense power of the Severn Estuary far sooner.

Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:

"A massive concrete barrage stretching across the Severn could have an enormous environmental impact, destroying vast areas of habitat of international importance. Fish and bird life would be devastated and could not recover.

"Harnessing the power of seas around Wales is vitally important for tackling climate change and developing the green energy we need, and could allow Wales to lead the world in new marine power technologies.

"But this project could well be the wrong solution - tidal energy can be captured by other means with much less damaging consequences, and could be giving us green energy far sooner than the 20 years it will take to build this barrage."

"Putting all our eggs into one risky project could block other better possibilities, and halt the growth in jobs and technology these could produce."

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577