Conservationists fear hydroelectric scheme will ‘damage’ iconic Eryri waterfall forever

A conservation charity has voiced its alarm at plans to build a dam diverting around 70% of water supplying an iconic waterfall as part of a hydro-electric scheme.

The Snowdonia Society are calling for action after plans were drawn up to install a dam on the Afon Cynfal near Llan Ffestiniog and divert, at times, just short of 70% of the water around Rhaeadr y Cwm waterfall.

The application was submitted by three brothers, Dafydd, Elis and Moi who run their family farm near Bala in Eryri National Park.

Plans have been refused or withdrawn three times previously, but in July the developers formally submitted another application. The deadline for objections is 20 September.

Under threat

Rory Francis, Director of Cymdeithas Eryri Snowdonia Society says: “Cwm Cynfal is a place that has inspired storytellers, artists and poets over a millennium. This is a landscape associated with the tales of the Mabinogion and also famously depicted by David Cox in 1836 in his iconic painting Rhaiadr Cwm.”

“It is one of Eryri’s most majestic waterfalls. But now it is being threatened once again by a hydro-electric scheme that would see the river dammed and at times, just short of 70% of the water diverted out of the waterfall.”

“Not just that, the gorge is highly protected under wildlife legislation, a Site of Special Scientific Interest within a National Park. It’s designated for the rare mosses and liverworts that can be found there. If you divert that much water out of the waterfall, that will change the very wet conditions that make the gorge so special.

“We’re concerned about the visual appearance, the sound and impressiveness of the waterfall, the wildlife that lives in the gorge and also the damage to this very historic site with its medieval trackways.

“We strongly support the need to decarbonise the economy. But with any renewable energy scheme, you have to weigh the damage against the benefits. This scheme would produce relatively little electricity, enough to power just 60 power showers. Its 600kW capacity would be only about 8% of just one of the 7.2MW turbines at the proposed Y Bryn windfarm between Maesteg and Port Talbot.

“The developers themselves carried out a pre-application consultation at the end of last year. Though the figures are difficult to extract from the paper submitted to the National Park Authority, 359 individuals or organisations took part. 276 noted that they did not support the application. 181 of those opposed were local to the Eryri National Park, Gwynedd or North Wales. Only 3 noted that they supported the development.”

High profile support

The hydro scheme has received support from high profile politicians.

Consultation at key stages has included Ffestiniog Town Council, which has confirmed its support, Cadw, Natural Resources Wales, Gwynedd Council, the National Park Authority, interest groups, and the public, who were invited to a drop-in event in February hosted by the brothers

Once in operation, the project, which has already had a water abstraction licence granted by NRW, will contribute towards the government’s goal of generating 70 per cent of energy needs from renewable sources by 2030.

Capable of producing up to 2million kWh per year, the scheme would supply 700 homes with electricity and potentially save almost 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS Mabon ap Gwynfor and Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts have given their support to the development, which will help the brothers diversify their farming business.

Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “The climate emergency is the biggest challenge facing humanity and the target of achieving net zero by 2050 is fast approaching. It will be almost impossible to reach the target without schemes like this.

“Clearly there is great pressure on the agricultural industry to adapt to the challenge of climate change and this scheme is an example of a local agricultural family willing to meet the challenge and, as we fight against climate change, to play their part and contribute to the targets of the National Park as we strive to be carbon neutral.”

Liz Saville Roberts added: “The scheme is located in an environmentally sensitive area and it is therefore gratifying to know of all the work carried out by various experts in their field to document the nature of the site.

“The Authority has approved several hydro schemes in the area during the past twenty years and they have blended into the landscape of Eryri, with the majority of the public not even aware of their existence.”

The hydro scheme is proposing to be part of Energy Local, a community interest company (CIC) based in north Wales that aims to create more sustainable energy systems for communities across the UK.

Energy Local works by enabling communities to buy locally generated energy at a price fair to the generator and the consumers.

Plans

Plans show that a weir would be built across the river upstream of the waterfall, which will developers say will not affect the natural appearance of the falls.

The brothers said: “The plan is to help the country reach net zero, and to do that Wales needs a mix of different types of renewable energy.

“From evidence based information and correct mitigation, It’s important to us that the land and environment will not be adversely affected, and the specialists and experts commissioned have concluded that  the scheme will have minimal effects on the location.

“We are passionate about the region in and around our farm and are determined to protect the river and the local ecosystem. We have taken every precaution, including a full environmental impact assessment, to ensure that there is  minimal negative impact.”

“Critical”

Dan Yates, Director of Save our Rivers said: “The constant impact of development on our rivers and streams over the last few decades has led to the UK having one of the most degraded river systems in the world. It is critical that those remaining free-flowing sections of rivers that sit within protected areas, like the Cynfal, are preserved for future generations.”

Adrian Lloyd Jones, Head of Living Landscapes, North Wales Wildlife Trust said “Considering the small amount of power this proposed HEP scheme would produce and the declines of bryophyte communities observed following similar HEP schemes elsewhere in north Wales, this scheme poses far too great a risk to the wildlife of Cwm Cynfal.

“Whilst we support green energy, all developments must be in the right place, and this proposal is clearly in the wrong place.”

The Snowdonia Society is working closely on this campaign with Save our Rivers, Buglife and the North Wales Wildlife Trust.