Trials show Hinkley Point C’s acoustic fish deterrent is 'highly effective'

Sea trials carried out by Swansea University have shown that an acoustic fish deterrent developed for Hinkley Point C in Somerset is 'highly effective'.

EDF Energy says the innovative use of ultrasound technology has been shown to keep target fish species away from the power station’s water intakes.

It is one of three separate fish protection systems at the power station. The three systems will cost more than £700 million and give Hinkley Point C more fish protection than any other power station in the world. This will help protect the internationally important Severn estuary.

New film released that explains the innovative technology being used:

EDF Energy says the new power station will use specially designed intake heads to slow the speed of water entering the cooling tunnels, allowing fish to escape from as close as 2 metres in a 20-kilometre-wide channel.

A fish return system will also transfer fish back to the sea. The remaining impact on fish will be very small and, as a responsible operator, Hinkley Point C is developing and deploying an acoustic fish deterrent.

They've said finding a way to do this without endangering divers in the extreme tides of the Bristol Channel has taken many years. Now, an innovative ultrasound acoustic fish deterrent has been developed by fisheries conservation experts Fishtek Marine in Devon.

The company says successful completion of the testing would mean the power station can meet all its planning obligations on fish protection and the project believes further compensation measures should not be required. 

They add this  is 'good news' for communities up and down the Severn who opposed plans to create 900 acres of saltmarsh compensation on farms and other land.

Dr David Clarke, fisheries scientist and marine ecologist at Swansea University, said:

"These early results are very encouraging with the system clearly working. Our results show that a large majority of the tagged shad avoid an area extending some 60m from the intake heads protected by the acoustic fish deterrent system."

Chris Fayers, Head of Environment at Hinkley Point C, said:

"The successful testing of the acoustic fish deterrent is good news for the environment and for communities and farmers up and down the Severn.

"Because the system works even better than we had hoped, it means we can meet all of our planning obligations and should not need to create 900 acres of saltmarsh as environmental compensation. And it’s good news for a power station that will generate the reliable, low carbon electricity that the country needs."

Pete Kibel, Managing Director, Fishtek Marine, said:

"This is a really exciting project for Fishtek Marine. Building on our existing acoustic deterrent technology we have now developed a highly effective system that will protect fish in the Severn Estuary and potentially be an option for many more power stations throughout the world.

"The success of our work at Hinkley Point C will only strengthen our position as a leader in marine conservation technology."

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