Schemes and Severn Embryonic Technologies Scheme (SETS)

Longlist of Schemes

Ten potential Severn Estuary tidal power options were considered in phase one of the feasibility study. These were:

1. Outer Barrage from Minehead to Aberthaw
   This would be the largest barrage and would make maximum use of the Severn Estuary tidal resource.
   
   
2. Middle Barrage from Brean Down to Lavernock Point
   This is a well-studied option.  It is also known as the Cardiff-Weston barrage. 
   
   
3. Middle Barrage from Hinkley to Lavernock Point
   This option is as option 2 but lands at Hinkley. 
   
   
4. Inner Barrage (Shoots Barrage)
   This is also known as the English Stones scheme and has been studied in detail by the Sustainable Development Commission.
   
   
5. Beachley Barrage
   This would be a barrage further upstream. It would have a smaller generating capacity than Shoots.
   
   
6. Tidal Fence proposal
   This would be a barrier constructed over part of the Cardiff to Weston line, with open sections. It would incorporate tidal stream turbines to capture energy from the ebb and flood tides.
   
   
7. Lagoon enclosure on the Welsh grounds (Fleming lagoon)
   This is one of the previously studied Russell lagoons from 1980s.
   
   
8. Tidal lagoon concept
   This is a proposal for a number of tidal lagoons.
   
   
9. Tidal reef proposal
   This is a concept that would include floating turbines and caissons.
   
   
10. Severn Lake Scheme
    This would be a one kilometre wide barrage in the same location as the Cardiff-Weston scheme. It would be designed to allow the construction of a number of additional features, including a wave farm on the seaward side and four marinas.

A map outlining the locations of the proposed projects can be viewed on the right of this page.

How were these options identified?

This list has been identified through:

1. Stakeholder input from our Call for Proposals. The Call for Proposals invited interested parties to submit evidence based proposals for schemes that will generate electricity from the tidal range of the Severn Estuary.
   Visit: Call for Proposals: Parsons Brinckerhoff website (external link) 
   
   
2. Options studied by the Sustainable Development Commission in their report 'Turning the Tide'.
   Visit: Turning the Tide: Sustainable Development Commission website (external link) 
   
   
3. Consideration of other strategic options that were not covered by either the Call for Proposals or the Sustainable Development Commission report.

The Beachley Barrage was the only option was added through 'consideration of other strategic options'. We added this because there have been few, if any, studies of barrages upstream of English Stones (the location of the potential Shoots barrage). A barrage further upstream would generate less energy but may have fewer environmental effects than the potential barrage options downstream. Including the Beachley Barrage option in our long list of options allows us to review its relative pros and cons.  

Short list of schemes

During summer 2008, benefits and impacts of the potential schemes were assessed.  This information fed into the government review in December 2008, when Ministers decided to support the project proceeding to phase two.

On 26 January 2009 Ministers announced a shortlist of five possible schemes. These are:

1. Shoots barrage
   Located near the Severn road crossings, estimated to cost £3.2bn to construct and generate 2.7 terawatt hours per year (Twh/year), or just under 1% of UK electricity (roughly equivalent to a large fossil fuel power station).
   
   
2. Beachley Barrage
   Slightly smaller and further upstream than the Shoots Barrage (and upstream of the Wye), estimated to cost £2.3bn and generate 1.6TWh/year.
   
   
3. Fleming Lagoon
   On the Welsh shore of the Estuary between Newport and the Severn road crossings, estimated to cost £4bn and generate 2.3TWh/year.
   
   
4. Bridgwater Bay Lagoon
   On the English shore of the Estuary between Hinkley Point and Weston Super Mare, estimated to cost £3.8bn and generate 2.6TWh/year.
   
   
5. Cardiff-Weston Barrage
   Located between Brean Down and Lavernock Point, estimated to cost £20.9bn and generate 16.8Twh/year or up to 5% of UK electricity.