The screw is turning

The last pile came out today at the inlet to let the water in to turn the screw. Testing to optimise performance will continue this week. Early next week we start getting paid for the electricity going into the national grid. Then there will be further tweaking until hand over by the contractors, Spaans Babcock, to Whalley Community Hydro in mid November.

600 years of water power in Whalley

Whalley Community Hydro are holding an event to mark Community Energy Fortnight at the Old Grammar School Community Centre on Station Road on Thursday 25 September, 7.30-9pm. The team behind the project will present a slide-show of the story of the construction of the hydro which is now nearing completion. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion about the share issue and future plans too. Entrance is free. All welcome.

Lancashire Life article on Whalley Community Hydro

Lancashire Life magazine has an article this month The Whalley Community Hydro Project aims to place power back in the community.

Transformer arrives

Electricity North West deliver the transformer ready to receive the low voltage supply from the hydro electric plant and transform it to the high voltage supply to the national grid.  

National award for Whalley Community Hydro

Whalley Community Hydro wins national award

At UK Community Energy Awards ceremony in Oxford this evening Whalley Community Hydro wins Start-up of the year.   Graham Sowter (right), chair of Whalley Community Hydro receiving the award.

ITV Granada Reports video of screw delivery day

See ITV news report Hydro-electric power plant milestone on River Calder. .

BBC video on the lifting of the Archimedean screw

See BBC NW Tonight video Whalley Hydro project's giant Archimedes screw fitted.

Whalley Community Hydro sign up with Good Energy

Good Energy is a utility which only supplies electricity sourced from renewable energy. People who receive their electricity from Good Energy know that they are cutting their fossil fuel use and not using carbon emissions for their power.

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 ...