A number of proposals have been put forward that may lead to the development of a power generating barrage across the UK’s Severn Estuary.
Developer Gareth Woodham has proposed a 1km wide so-called Barridge, a combination of barrage and bridge, stretching from Lavernock on the north shoreline to Brean Down on the southern side that would generate more than 4 GW of energy. Woodham has submitted a change of use application from the current Severn River to the Severn Lake that has been forwarded to the Department of Trade and Industry for consideration.
The Barridge, which will be some 20 years in the making, will include 14 hydro turbines – with 7 inbound and 7 outbound – producing 4,200 MW. This is in addition to a number of floating wave generation devices on the seaward side creating a further 1,300 MW electricity and consoling the sea within 2km.
Political support for such a scheme appears to be growing with the leader of the local Assembly Labour Party, Chanel Stevens, proposing a motion to the SW Labour conference to support a Severn Barrage as an alternative to nuclear generation.