HC Deb 14 March 1977 vol 928 c32W
Mr. Rost

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects completion of the current studies on the feasibility of exploiting tidal power in the Severn Estuary; what is the estimated budget for these studies; and what is the estimated cost of a full-scale feasibility study.

Mr. Eadie

The study on the effects of a Severn barrage on the tidal regime is complete and my right hon. Friend expects to receive a final report on the closure problem by the end of this month. He intends to publish the reports of these studies, which together cost about £50,000. We do not yet have firm figures for the cost of a full-scale feasibility study, but proposals have been made by consultants for broad studies costing somewhat over £1 million; these, however, would include little of the field and modelling work which would be necessary before a final decision on the construction of a barrage could be taken.

Forward to