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Hinkley Point C must deploy mandated protections for fish

For Hinkley Point C to deliver on its environmental claims, the project must install its mandated Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD) system, writes Fish Guidance Systems’ Lewis English.

Can we truly call energy “clean” if it
causes significant environmental harm? This question becomes particularly
pertinent when examining the situation at Hinkley Point C, a new generation
nuclear power plant under construction in Somerset.

For nearly eight years,
EDF Energy has been working to remove a vital environmental protection at
Hinkley Point C, the Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD). The AFD system is
designed to protect aquatic life by deterring fish from entering the
cooling systems of the power plant, and was included in the initial design
plans of Hinkley Point C. Despite its importance, the removal of the AFD
has been a contentious issue.

The Welsh Government Commission has warned
that its absence could lead to the death of approximately 182 million fish
annually, including sensitive species like shad, sprat, Atlantic salmon,
and herring, which are crucial to local ecosystems, and Secretary of State
Kwasi Kwarteng ruled in a Public Inquiry that the measure must be applied.
Still, EDF continues to contest it, arguing that it would further delay the
completion of Hinkley Point C and hold up the UK’s net zero plans.

The Engineer 16th Sept 2024

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/opinion/hinkley-point-c-must-deploy-mandated-protections-for-fish

September 20, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, UK