New concerns have emerged relating to the cost of the proposed Barrage for the River Severn Estuary.

In September 2007 the UK government announced plans for a feasibility study into a tidal power plan for the River Severn Estuary.

A recent report states that the electricity which would be provided by the River Severn Barrage could be achieved by using other renewable energy technologies at a lower cost.

The barrage has an estimated cost of around £15bn, and is said to be able to provide as much as 5% of the United Kingdoms electricity demands within 14 years.

If the River Sever Estuary Barrage goes ahead, it is likely to span across the River Severn Estuary from Weston-Super-Mare in England, to Cardiff in Wales.

There are also concerns relating to the impact a Severn Barrage could have on the surrounding environment and wildlife. National and international designations which are in place to protect the areas wildlife highlight the importance of the Severn Estuary for wildlife, and especially migrating birds.

During 2003, the U.K government’s Energy White Paper stated that the construction of a Barrage for the River Severn would not be a good idea due to environmental concerns, but that the government would also look into further opportunities.

The River Severn Barrage would use hydroelectric turbines to turn the energy from the incoming and outgoing tides into electricity. The River Severn has the second largest tidal range in the world (around 15m), which makes it an ideal candidate for a Barrage which could provide a significant capacity of renewable electricity.