Liverpool City Council is considering a project to build a 700 MW tidal power plant and river crossing.
Design of a barrier across the River Mersey. Photo: Liverpool City Council
Plans to build a barrier across the River Mersey in Liverpool are beginning to take shape. If all goes to plan, the project will be the world's largest tidal power plant, while also providing pedestrians and cyclists with safe passage across the river, New Atlas reported on March 12.
Liverpool authorities first proposed the idea in 1924, with reports and feasibility studies following in the 1980s. Liverpool City Council has been looking at the specifications for a number of projects on the Mersey for the past three years, with MP John McDonnell confirming they had chosen the proposal to build a barrier between Liverpool and the Wirral during the planning stages.
As well as being the first pedestrian and cycle path connecting the two riverside areas, the new facility will house 28 turbines that will be powered by the currents of the River Mersey, generating electricity from the energy available from the changing heights of the tides, which can reach as high as 10 metres in Liverpool. The total capacity is expected to be 700 MW, making it the largest tidal power plant in the world. The design also includes sluice gates that will allow water to flow through when needed, helping to mitigate the increased risk of flooding caused by climate change. There will also be a ship lock to keep the river moving.
City officials have yet to decide on the exact location of the barrier, as previous options are no longer viable. They are looking for a location near the mouth of the river. If approved this week, the multibillion-dollar project will go to government inspectors later this year to determine what environmental impact studies need to be completed.
An Khang (According to New Atlas )
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