Abstraction licensing resolves compliance orders for a Welsh hydroelectric scheme

The estate held historic licences to impound and abstract water from a river for hydroelectric power and domestic supply to cottages on the estate. However, the existing abstraction exceeded the licensed volume, resulting in compliance orders relating to the impoundment weir and water supplies. The challenge was to develop a compliant solution that could maintain the domestic supply while enabling the Hydroelectric Power (HEP) system to operate effectively to maximise the available abstraction. Without the development of such, the compliance orders risked further enforcement action from Natural Resources Wales and could have jeopardised both the HEP scheme’s operation and the cottages’ water supply.

We undertook a site survey to review the current licences and local hydrology. A key challenge identified was how to sustain the minimum volume of water in the river offtake system, which supplied water to the cottages year-round as well as the HEP. However, this supply conflicted with the conditions of all three of the licences our client held.

We held extensive discussions with Natural Resources Wales to agree a practical licensing and engineering solution. Our surface water specialists assessed watercourse flows and prepared calculations and drawings for the redesign of the impoundment weir. With minimal changes to the overall structure of the weir, the domestic supply to the cottages could be maintained whilst also complying with the abstraction conditions in place for the HEP licence, optimising the abstracted quantity and maximising power generation.

Following several months of discussion and regulatory negotiation with Natural Resources Wales, we delivered a new licensing solution along with the revocation of the compliance orders. The new licences enabled an increased summer abstraction quantity of 3,629 cubic metres per day, increased power generation, and a year-round supply for domestic use.