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Severn Barrage 'could end fuel poverty'

Fuel poverty in the UK could come to an end if the government took it upon itself to construct a massive dam across the mouth of the River Severn to generate up to five per cent of the country's electricity, according to a renewables expert.

Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity, has written to Gordon Brown claiming that rather than pay for fuel grants to the fuel poor, the government could provide them with free energy by building the giant renewable facility.

He estimates the cost would be £15 billion and that it would take a decade to complete but that it would provide five million homes with zero-carbon electricity.

"We should build the barrage using public money," said Mr Vince. "Each year, once the barrage is completed, instead of giving cash grants to the fuel poor, give them free fuel instead."

He claims that the government spends £4 billion every year tackling fuel poverty, a figure set to increase as energy costs rise.

As well as offering fuel grants, this year the government has made funds available to install free or half price insulation in all homes.

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