The new nuclear power station at Hinkley (HPC) will draw the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools of cooling water per minute from the Severn Estuary, one of the UK’s most highly designated nature conservation sites. Without measures to protect fish, EDF’s own estimates suggest up to 2.9 million fish will die annually, while other studies put the number of fish drawn into the water intake at closer to 182 million per year.
Many fish who swim the Severn Estuary also inhabit the Bristol Avon catchment, particularly migratory species such as Atlantic salmon and European eel. Millions of fish making their way to our catchment on their migration may never make it, further depleting our already struggling rivers.
Fish can be protected and plans were in place to do this. An Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD) needs to be fitted to prevent millions of fish being sucked into the system. AFDs emit sound which fish are known to avoid, keeping them safe from the lethal cooling systems. This is a tried and tested technology known to be effective elsewhere.
EDF tries to change consent
When HPC’s discharge consent was granted in 2013, it included three key measures to protect fish:
1. Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD)
2. Low-velocity side intakes
3. Fish Recovery and Return system
EDF has previously sought to remove the AFD requirement, citing technical challenges. However, a Public Inquiry and subsequent rulings by the Secretary of State upheld the importance of the AFD, confirming its feasibility and necessity.
Now, EDF is once again putting off installation of the AFD and is instead proposing a “compensation package” which falls short in addressing the serious ecological harm which will arise, particularly for migratory species like salmon and shad.
Scientists, AFD specialists and businesses highlight that the AFD is needed, proven, and can be delivered at HPC. They are ready to work with EDF to deliver this vital work.
Find out more about the background and impacts of Hinkley Point C Power Station here.
Why this matters
Without the AFD, millions of marine and migratory fish will die annually severely impacting local fish species and the ecosystems they support. Thousands of birds and other wildlife including seals and dolphins will be impacted. Find out more about how the Severn Estuary supports fish life here.
The low velocity side intakes, a part of the power station’s cooling system, have been specifically designed to work with the AFD. Without it, the intakes can act as ‘artificial reefs’ attracting even more fish, turning the system into a death trap for countless species.
EDF say they have planned compensation measures such as saltmarsh creation and limited fish passage improvements. These are inadequate to address the needs of migratory species. Moreover, fish passage improvements, designed to help fish navigate barriers such as weirs, are only being considered for the Severn and a number of Welsh rivers, with nothing planned for catchments closer to Hinkley PC such as the Bristol Avon.
The Petition
Help us hold EDF accountable and ensure the Severn Estuary’s precious ecosystems are protected.
- To safeguard the ecological health of the Severn Estuary and its river catchments.
- Uphold the requirement for EDF to install the AFD as originally agreed.
- Ensure there is proper mitigation and compensation, regardless of whether the AFD is installed.
- Ensure that compensation measures are comprehensive and address all affected species, with a specific focus on migratory fish, removing river barriers and restoring habitats.
- Press for the inclusion of the Bristol Avon in compensation plans, given its importance to migratory fish.
“The Severn Estuary is an irreplaceable ecosystem, and EDF must meet its obligations to protect it,” said Simon Hunter, CEO at Bristol Avon Rivers Trust. “We’re not against the power station providing vital energy for the UK, but it must not come at the cost of biodiversity and the health of our rivers and estuaries.”
Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust, said, “It is very disappointing that the Prime Minister was so disparaging and dismissive about the need for acoustic fish deterrents on the water intakes for the new nuclear power station being built at Hinkley by EDF.
“As the Severn Estuary is a vital fish nursery for the whole region, the strategic and economic impacts on marine fisheries throughout the Irish Sea will be devastating. All the good work being carried out by the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust to nurture recovering fish populations in the river could be undone if EDF – and planning regulators – don’t do the right thing.”
This petition is supported by:
The Rivers Trust
Bristol Avon Rivers Trust
Severn Rivers Trust
West Wales Rivers Trust
Angling Trust
Atlantic Salmon Trust
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
Institute of Fisheries Management
Fisheries Management Scotland
Afonydd Cymru
River Action
Wildlife and Countryside Link
CPRE Bristol & Avon
Sustainable Eel Group
You can read BART’s Position Statement on Hinkley Point C here: https://bristolavonriverstrust.org/hpc-impact-to-fish/
