§ Mr. SummersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the estimated cost of building the proposed barrage across the River Wyre; and what would be the value of the electricity produced by it;
- (2) what public access there will be to the proposed barrage across the River Wyre;
- (3) what will be the generating capacity of the proposed barrage across the River Wyre;
- (3) what effects on the surrounding landscape he expects the cables with pylons etc. emanating from the proposed barrage across the River Wyre to have;
- (5) what safeguards will be built into the proposed barrage across the River Wyre to ensure that large floating objects do not damage the turbines;
- (6) what effects on migrating fish he expects the proposed barrage across the River Wyre to have.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe report detailing the findings of the pre-feasibility study into a possible Wyre barrage has been released today. A copy has been placed in the Library. The study estimates that the cost of the barrage, having a generating capacity of 63.6MW, would be £90 million—1991 prices—and could provide 131 GWh/y of electricity at a cost of 6.49p/kWh assuming an 8 per cent. discount rate. The study includes the construction of a 9 m wide promenade across the barrage, and considers the use of the barrage as a road crossing. If built, electricity cables from a Wyre barrage should have no effect on the surrounding landscape, as it is anticipated that cables connecting the barrage to the nearby existing electricity substation would be underground. Consideration of the protection of barrage turbines from large objects would need to form part of a more detailed design study. At this stage it is thought that a "trash" screen would provide sufficient protection. Two fish passes are included in the outline design of the Wyre barrage to provide passage for migrating fish, and these are detailed in the report. The report finds that further work is required to more fully assess the impact of a barrage on migrating fish.