A new power station in Pembroke, which cost £1bn, could be forced to change its cooling system as the technology used may breach environmental law. A leaked document suggested the European Commission had sent a notice of infringement to the UK, listing 18 violations of four separate environmental laws.
The violations include concerns on assessing environmental impacts, protecting habitats, the use of nitrates and controlling pollution.
Joe Hennon, environment spokesman for the European Commission, said, "The cooling system that they're using in this plant is what we're really concerned about. It takes water in at one end and pumps it out at the other and it raises the temperature of the water by about eight degrees when it comes out into the estuary. It takes in potentially millions of fish and other forms of life and they inject biocides into the water as well."
Research suggests that the amount of water extracted to cool the five turbines would impinge on one million adult fish in a three-week period, as well as three to four billion smaller fish and shellfish every year.
Although RWE npower's chief operating officer Kevin McCullogh said in May that the best technology has been used at the power station, Mr Hennon claims that the cheapest option was chosen.
Mr Hennon said, "It's up to the UK to tell us now what they intend to do about it."
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