Janet Finch-Saunders MS has highlighted the huge barriers to small businesses presented by increasing hydro power costs.
The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy urged Natural Resources Wales to reconsider their proposed new licence fee of a flat fee of £6,327 from the 1st of April.
Speaking today, Janet said:
“Local businesses have been in touch with me to voice their concerns over the risk of increasing fees for small-scale hydro projects in Wales.
“This decision has the potential to significantly reduce the incentives for small businesses to invest in renewable energy, due to this one-size-fits-all approach to costs which many small businesses will be unable to absorb.
“Instead of hiking fees, NRW should be looking to encourage small-scale hydro projects. These include the use of "pico" hydro, which are hydro systems that produce 5 kW or less and are therefore for domestic use.
“As businesses have made clear, this would enable more people in Wales to harness the thousands of small streams that run off our hills and mountains to help power their homes with clean, renewable energy.
“The Welsh Government must ensure that businesses are incentivised to adopt clean, renewable energy, rather than throwing up new financial barriers at an already difficult time.
“I have submitted a series of written Questions to the Minister on this basis, asking about NRW’s proposed flat rate fee, and the impact on small businesses.
“For the sake of future renewable energy investment, the Minister must answer these fundamental questions”.
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS wedi tynnu sylw at y rhwystrau enfawr i fusnesau bach sy'n wynebu costau ynni hydro cynyddol.
Anogodd yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy Gyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i ailystyried eu ffi trwydded newydd arfaethedig, sef ffi safonol o £6,327 o 1 Ebrill.
Wrth siarad heddiw, dywedodd Janet:
"Mae busnesau lleol wedi cysylltu â mi i rannu eu pryderon ynghylch y risg o ffioedd cynyddol ar gyfer prosiectau hydro bach yng Nghymru.
"Mae gan y penderfyniad hwn y potensial i leihau'n sylweddol y cymhellion i fusnesau bach fuddsoddi mewn ynni adnewyddadwy, yn sgil yr agwedd un ateb i bawb hwn o ran costau, na fydd llawer o fusnesau bach yn gallu eu fforddio.
"Yn hytrach na chodi ffioedd, dylai Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru fod yn ystyried annog prosiectau hydro ar raddfa fach. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys defnyddio hydro "pico", sef systemau hydro sy'n cynhyrchu 5 kW neu lai ac sydd felly at ddefnydd domestig.
"Fel y mae busnesau wedi’i egluro, byddai hyn yn galluogi mwy o bobl yng Nghymru i harneisio'r miloedd o nentydd bychain sy'n rhedeg oddi ar ein bryniau a'n mynyddoedd gan helpu i bweru eu cartrefi gydag ynni glân, adnewyddadwy.
"Mae’n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru sicrhau bod busnesau'n cael eu cymell i fabwysiadu ynni glân, adnewyddadwy, yn hytrach na chodi rhwystrau ariannol newydd ar adeg sydd eisoes yn anodd.
"Rydw i wedi cyflwyno cyfres o Gwestiynau ysgrifenedig i'r Gweinidog ar y sail hon, gan ofyn am ffi cyfradd safonol arfaethedig Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, a'r effaith ar fusnesau bach.
"Er mwyn buddsoddi mewn ynni adnewyddadwy yn y dyfodol, rhaid i'r Gweinidog ateb y cwestiynau sylfaenol hyn".
DIWEDD/ENDS
Attached: Written Questions to the Minister for Climate Change:
Will the Minister explain why Natural Resources Wales will be charging a flat rate of £6,327 for abstraction/impoundment licence from 1 April 2023 onwards?
Will the Minister exempt small hydropower schemes from the abstraction/impoundment licence fee charged by Natural Resources Wales?
Will the Minister work with Natural Resources Wales to develop a simpler and cheaper process for establishing hydropower stations that generate 25kW or less?
