‘Public engagement - the projects, the public and the process’

17th April 2008

ICE - Cardiff Bay

•Sustainable Development Commission ‘Turning the Tide’report -Oct 2007

•Severn tidal feaibilitystudy -announced 22nd Jan 2008

‘cross-Whilehall’

•Phase 1 to late 08 -all projects screen for ministerial decison

•Phase 2 to 2010 -one ‘project’possibly taken forward with specific studies

•Final decision by government

Habitats Directive -legal requirement to demonstrate an:

‘overriding public need not achievable by other means’

•‘equivalent spend’of £15+ billion on UK strategic energy infrastructure (ielow risk 3.5 % discount rate) to test value for taxpayer

•BERR study team say comparisons between tidal (range) projects in Estuary but also other energy projects around UK would be considered