Archimedean screw leaving the works in Holland for Whalley Community Hydro

The screw is on its way. This is the screw that will generate the power from the water in the river for Whalley Community Hydro. It weighs 13 tonnes and measures 12m long and 3.6m diameter. Delivery to the site is due at 9 am on Tuesday 2nd September. A crane will then lift it into position later that morning probably around 11 am to 12 noon. The operation can be viewed from the bridge in Whalley ...

Archimedean screw delivery date rescheduled

The screw delivery has now been rescheduled for Tuesday 2nd September at 9 am. Lifting into position will be later that morning probably between 11 am and 12 noon. Heavy rain last night brought in some silt which has to be cleared to enable concreting of the plinth for the screw which was scheduled for today. We have been fortunate with the weather so far this spring and summer. Commissioning and handover dates are not ...

Archimedean screw delivery 28 August

The Archimedean screw for Whalley Community Hydro will be arriving on Thursday 28 August around 9 am at the site on the Billington side of the weir at Whalley. It is the mechanism which transforms the power of the river into electricity as the weight of water turns it. Measuring 12-metres long, 3.6 m diameter and weighing 13 tonnes the screw was designed and manufactured by water treatment and power specialists, Spaans Babcock Ltd, The scheme ...

A new director for Whalley Hydro

We are delighted to announce the appointment of a new director, Bill Wilkinson. Bill  is a mechanical engineer who has been advising us on our contracts and is project supervisor during the construction phase. He lives in Wiswell and is about to retire as Director of Estates at Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Whalley where he has been responsible for managing the Trust’s property portfolio and within this role has introduced a wide range ...

Whalley Community Hydro work on site starting today

Civil engineers are on site today – day 1 – to start preliminaries. Later this week the track will be laid across the field and the works compound set up. Next they will install the coffer dam and excavate the channel which will take water from the river above the weir and put it back below the weir. The Archimedean screw is expected in August and completion in October depending on the weather. Chris

Funds raised

Whalley Community Hydro share issue has raised £432,000. Over three quarters of the 216 investors are local to East Lancashire and most of the rest are from the NW of England. The Charity Bank has agreed a loan of £400,000 (see http://bit.ly/1fx8Yjf) so construction can start in May 2014.

Green Party leader to visit Whalley Community Hydro

The Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, is visiting Whalley Community Hydro on Thursday 30 January at 11 am, meeting at the weir on the Whalley side of the river down Calder Vale off King Street.

TV interview Wednesday 11 Dec, 6.30 pm BBC 1 NW Tonight

Graham Sowter, Whalley Hydro director, is interviewed talking about the project.

Whalley has more time to raise £400,000 for hydro electric bid

Whalley Hydro share offer extended

The share offer will continue to be open until Wednesday 11 December. We scheduled three weeks for the offer but this turned out to be too ambitious. Over £281,000 raised in three weeks is pretty good going. We are well on the way to the £400,000 we need to attract a bank loan to enable us to go ahead with placing the contract for construction.