THE ability to charge a levy on energy and water supplied from Powys, has been called for by councillors.

At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, 8 December, a motion calling for the levy will be presented to councillors for debate.

The county has numerous reservoirs and lakes that provide water and there are also several wind turbine farms that produce electricity on the hills in Powys – with several more in the pipeline.

The exploitation of Wales’ natural resources for little benefit to the country has been a thorny issue for many years. Earlier this year, calls were made for more water to be pumped from Mid Wales to deal with the drought in the south east of England. Cabinet member for a connected Powys, Cllr Jake Berriman is set to present the motion with non-affiliated councillor Geoff Morgan seconding the proposal.

Cllr Berriman said: “On the back of COP 27 (climate summit) in Egypt, and Powys’s declaration of climate and nature emergencies, this council calls on the UK and Welsh Governments to put in place the necessary legislative frameworks and provisions to enable the people of Powys to retain some of the financial benefit arising from the water and energy resources captured and generated in Powys for export and consumption elsewhere. “Specifically, this council seeks the ability to raise a levy on water and energy generation/supply companies on piped water and energy destined for export, and not for the direct benefit or consumption by the people of Powys.

“The rate of return for the shared use of these resources should initially not be less than £1 per mega litre and £1 per megawatt.”