Severn Barrage could be back on

[MikeH]

Already the barrage plan has changed significantly because of this massive scrutiny, which is definitely a good thing.

Is it definitely a good thing or is a bold ambitious plan being whittled down by pressure from special interest groups?

I genuinely don't have a view either way on changes in this case - have no idea what they are - but think it's rarely that simple.

[dannubis]

Building a wall around wales ?

Are there any negatives ?

[MikeH]

The amount of water needed to fill it.

[dannubis]

Does Welsh crap float ?

[The Mad Monk]

Actually I'm 100% in favour of harnessing the huge tidal potential of the estuary. Also the barrage and its knock-on effects would be hugely beneficial for Cardiff and South Wales as a whole!

But the question still remains about harnessing the correct technology and limiting the negatives as much as possible, instead of blindly rushing forth and picking the first bright shiny thing that's put in front of you!

It's a bit like why we chose the inferior petrol engine over the diesel engine in the beginning of the 20th century, or the fact that Diesel was originally looking into getting them to run on vegetable oil instead of, well, diesel. The rest, as they say, is history...

Already the barrage plan has changed significantly because of this massive scrutiny, which is definitely a good thing. But is it even the right plan in the first place?

This thing isn't something we can just take down again if we decide we don't like it...

Other than the obviously bat**** ideas, how do you judge a technology without working examples?

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

It is also proposed to last 120 years, nuclear plant is 30-40 years.

So you really need to compare it to the cost of commissioning and decommissioning 4 nuclear plants. And there is also the flood defence aspect which hasn't been mentioned?

Licensed for 40. Typically license extensions to 60 years. No one has pushed it farther than 60 years to date. But they will.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

You've gone quiet, Mobius. Seriously, what's your preferred plan?

[MikeH]

Licensed for 40. Typically license extensions to 60 years. No one has pushed it farther than 60 years to date. But they will.

How long will they push out the barrage?

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Mythical barrage would last for eternity.

Oh noes, that means an infinite amount of nukes.

[dannubis]

Some facts about barrages:

http://www.british-hydro.org/downloads/La%20Rance-BHA-Oct%202009.pdf

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I started one and accidentally deleted it the other day and then went meh...

Anyway, it's obviously really. Look at all the possible alternatives before picking the best one. The jury is out on what is the best way to harness the estuary's potential.

There's all sorts of alternatives: fences, lagoons, underwater turbines etc...

Also is where the barrage is planned to go even the best place for it? There are several other possible locations for it...

As well as all the pros, there's also plenty of cons which need to be adequately addressed - they're all well known. Ones that haven't been mentioned so far include: Siltation (probably not that bad - could in fact become a valuable resource in the future!); the likely death knell of the BPC's deep sea container terminal proposals that have now got planning consent and resultant compensation; energy subsidies that will make the wind turbine ones look like chicken feed (the public might not pay up front - but you can bet your bottom dollar that we'll be paying 'downstream'!); increased flooding and coastal erosion on the seaward side of the barrage; the epic CO2 costs of pouring a gazillion tons of concrete into the estuary; the fact that if you suddenly realise you have indeed built the world's biggest white elephant - it's going to be ****ing difficult to remove it again...

And that's just off the top of my head...

There's also tons of pros too, obviously.

So my preferred plan is simple: Make sure you choose the right option, and make sure you build that option as well as you possibly can to extract the maximum benefits possible! It's not rocket science...

So you haven't actually got a preferred option? Christ, you're a born politician.

[MikeH]

MOBIUS - How are you going to define what the best option will be?

Until you do that your post is meaningless.

[MikeH]

My preference is to limit the options that can be considered best to the ones that have serious proposals in place for their construction.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

1- Sustainable long-term energy
2- Big boost to the economy at both national and local levels
3- Significant improvement to transport links between Wales and South West.
4- Potential for easing rail bottleneck at Severn Tunnel and dangling the prospect of improved high-speed rail link.
5- Improved flood prevention measures.
6- Will that do?

[The Mad Monk]

Sounds like it's time to build one and prove things out.