5:11pm Tuesday 22nd May 2007
By Darren Evans
NEWPORT West AM Rosemary Butler welcomed the news that the Severn Barrage now appears to be firmly on the UK government's agenda.
Mrs Butler was speaking after Welsh secretary Peter Hain and environment secretary David Miliband both spoke in favour of the £14bn scheme, which could generate up to five per cent of Britain's electricity.
Mr Hain said tidal power is "a huge untapped energy resource" and that "the Severn barrage is a project whose time has come".
Mr Miliband said: "Generating five per cent of the UK's electricity from a reliable renewable source is a huge prize, so a tidal barrage across the Severn has to be worth very serious consideration."
Mrs Butler organised a public conference on the Severn Barrage at the University of Wales, Newport last year.
She said: "I know there are serious environmental arguments for and against a barrage, but I still feel it would provide a tremendous boost to the UK's alternative energy programme at a time when there are major concerns about carbon emissions."
The 10-mile barrage, which is proposed by the Severn Tidal Power Group, a consortium of six major companies, would stretch across the Severn estuary from south of Cardiff to south of Weston-Super-Mare.
Environmental groups including the Countryside Council for Wales and Friends of the Earth Cymru are opposing the plans, which they say could devastate the estuary's wildlife.
The plans will be boosted by two government white papers.
A planning white paper will make major projects easier to build by setting up a special commission and taking power away from councils, while an energy white paper will include the potential of the barrage.
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