France's La Rance power station, opened in 1966, is the world's largest barrage development. Operated by EDF, it has a peak rating of 240MW, producing around 600GWh a year.
Fuelled by estuary's ebb and flood
Converting a tidal basin's energy into electricity using a barrage can be done using technology not dissimilar to that used in traditional hydroelectric power plants.
6 January 2011 23:00 GMT
Updated
25 November 2012 15:19 GMT
