Dovestone Reservoir
Saddleworth Community Hydro Ltd has made another step forward in its drive to use local renewable and sustainable resources to create electricity.
This environmentally friendly energy project has been ‘given the green light’ by Oldham Borough Council. Planning permission has been granted for the scheme to be constructed at Dovestone Reservoir, in Greenfield, Saddleworth.
The company’s innovative hydro- electric turbine is to be housed in a small unit adjacent to United Utility’s existing pumping installations. The building, about the size of a domestic garage, will be faced with Ashlar stone and topped with a ‘living green’ roof. Actual construction is ready to start and they hope to be producing electricity by the end of the year.
Saddleworth Community Hydro Ltd is the first community-owned hydro scheme in England that uses the water from a reservoir to generate hydro electricity.
The Society has been established as an Industrial and Provident Society with the specific purpose of owning and running a hydro-electric scheme for the benefit of the community. It aims to generate sufficient revenue by selling ‘green’ hydro-electricity to allow it to contribute to other environmental projects within the Saddleworth area.
