The Environment Agency has issued detailed guidance on applications to build new hydropower schemes.

The guidance says anyone seeking  to build a new hydropower scheme must apply to the Environment Agency for the following consents, licences or approvals:

• an abstraction licence - if water is diverted or taken out from a river or watercourse
• an impoundment licence  for plans to build a dam or weir to hold back the flow of an inland water, or to change an existing weir or structure as part of a scheme
• fish pass approval for plans to install or modify fish passes as part of any scheme
• flood defence consent for schemes built in, over or next to main rivers (for rivers and watercourses that aren’t main rivers applications must be made to lead local flood authority for consent)

Potential applicants can speak to the Environment Agency prior to making an application to get more detailed information about the process of applying to build a hydropower scheme.

The guidance says applicants should employ a specialist to help you design the scheme and make an application, suggesting the British Hydropower Association or the Micro Hydro Association as sources to help finding a hydropower specialist.

The Environment Agency itself will also provide detailed technical information from the Environment Agency to find out how to design and operate a hydropower scheme to protect the environment.

The Agency said it is less likely to accept proposals in sites of high environmental sensitivity, like protected sites and sites where there are protected species.

Permission to build a scheme will only be given if applicants can demonstrate in a scheme’s design how harm to the environment and other water users will be prevented by ensuring:

• it won’t prevent the achievement of Water Framework Directive objectives, eg it won’t damage the ecological status of water or prevent the improvement of its status
• it won’t affect protected and designated sites or species in unacceptable ways, eg it won’t damage habitats that are important for protected species of fish
• it will maintain or improve fish passage
• it won’t affect people’s access to the water, for example anglers
• it won’t have negative impacts on local communities, eg it must not increase the risk of flooding

Applicants will also need to show they have rights of access to the river at the point where the scheme is planned before an abstraction licence is granted.

Proposals to build or reconstruct weirs on an upland watercourse, are likely to be rejected by the Environment Agency if  they are higher than 1.5 metres. For weirs up to about 1.5 metres, applicants will need to show that the scheme will not harm the watercourse and its ecology. Applications will need to include by a report containing hydrological assessments that explain any changes the scheme will make to the watercourse and how the changes will avoid causing harm to the environment.

The Environment Agency will not give permission to use an existing weir on a lowland river if the scheme will increase the risk of flooding or disrupt water level controls and use of the river. The Agency said it is unlikely to give permission if applicants propose to build or reconstruct a weir in a lowland river.

You won’t get a licence to build a hydropower scheme from the Environment Agency unless you can satisfy them that your scheme will not harm the environment.

Applicants seeking advice prior to applying for a licence, can send the Environment Agency a completed pre-application advice application form to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 The form should  include as much of the following information as possible:

• scheme location, including a site map and river name
• how the river will be accessed
• the type of turbines planned for the scheme
• any changes proposed to an existing weir or the construction of a new weir
• the water flow that the turbines require to operate
• the amount of river water allowed to flow when the turbines are operating
• the length of the river that may be affected by any reduced water flows
• hydrological information about the site and how the scheme will affect hydrology of the river
• details of the scheme’s design, including any fish screens and fish passes to be installed

The Environment Agency will provide 15 hours of free pre-application advice. They aim to provide the advice within 6 weeks.

Click here to access the detailed guidance.