A consultation on plans to change the way sea water and fish are discharged at Somerset nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C has been launched by the government’s environment agency.
The Bridgwater power station is proposing a change to its Water Discharge Activity permit, which currently includes three mitigation measures to protect fish. These include: a fish recovery and return system, special water intakes to slow water down and an acoustic fish deterrent - a system that uses underwater sound to cause species of fish that can hear to swim away.
The plant, which is being constructed by French energy giant EDF, wants to remove conditions relating to the acoustic fish deterrent as it claims it is not required to protect the water quality of the Bristol Channel. A similar application in 2019 resulted in an appeal to the Secretary of State, which was dismissed last year.
