After over a year of construction and installation the Oakly Lower Weir hydropower system is now operational. The system uses a 2.3 m diameter vertical-axis Kaplan turbine to generate up to 165 kW from just 1.8 metres of head. The system is located in a SSSI and on a sensitive salmon river, so the project has included the construction of a large new all-species fish pass which has been co-located with the hydro system to ensure strong attractant flows for downstream and upstream moving fish.
The project shows how well a well-designed hydropower system can both generate electricity and improve fish passage, through carefully designed and located fish passes. Read more about the project installation here.