MPs Speak Out Against The Severn Barrage

If there is ever going to be a barrage built across the estuary of the River Severn, the path to success is turning out to be a very rocky one.

Two steps forward one step back, is danger of being reversed, particularly now that a committee of MPs  has said that Hafren Power, the firm behind the scheme, had failed to make a case that it would be good for the economy or the environment.

The House of Commons' Energy and Climate Change Committee, in a report, has criticised a "lack of information and a perceived lack of transparency" about the proposal, saying the case for the barrage remained unproven, and that Hafren had “yet to provide robust and independently verified evidence of the economic, environmental and technological viability of the project".

The committee had been alerted to the potential of job losses in nearby ports, and also concluded that the scheme is no "knight in shining armour" to meet renewable energy targets. They said that the UK government should continue to have an open view about considering a project in the Severn but "far more detail and evidence" would be required to make an informed decision about Hafren Power's proposal.

The company had also failed to overcome the concerns of conservation groups about wildlife and the local environment.

Committee chairman Tim Yeo said: "We think the effects on wildlife could be very damaging.  There is a lot of evidence to suggest that these impacts will be very, very hard to alleviate. The report does acknowledge that there is the potential to generate energy here. Indeed, we suggest that it might be worth exploring a smaller scheme initially where the impact would be less dramatic."

Hafren Power chief executive Tony Prior said: "The report is unhelpful and frustrating - we all know we have a lot more work to do and we will do it.

"The government has already told us it is not against the barrage and we are determined to press ministers and officials to engage fully. We have a team of experts, consultants and engineers... to discuss how we can provide the correct mitigation for the impact the barrier will have."