Linton Lock
The plant under construction
CountryEngland
LocationLinton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire
Coordinates54°02′01.4″N 1°14′17.8″W / 54.033722°N 1.238278°W / 54.033722; -1.238278
StatusActive
Commission date1923 (first generation)
2011 (second generation)
2017 (third generation)
Decommission date1961 (first generation)
Power generation
Units operational2
Units decommissioned1
Annual net output380 kWh

Linton Lock Hydro is a hydroelectric plant on the River Ouse in North Yorkshire, England, between the villages of Linton-on-Ouse and Nun Monkton. The first hydroelectric scheme was built here in 1923, but that was abandoned in the early 1960s. The second scheme to be sited at Linton Lock was installed in 2011 and a new generating unit came on stream in 2017. The combined output from the second and third generation plants is 380 kW, which is enough to power 450 homes.

History

Linton Lock was built in 1767 on the north bank of the River Ouse in North Yorkshire near to the village of Linton-on-Ouse. The river at Linton-on-Ouse was canalised by John Smeaton as part of a number of acts that were intended to make the Ouse (and further upstream, the Swale) navigable as far as Bedale.[1] As part of the lock construction, a weir was built on the south bank of the Ouse to help control the flow of water into the lock. Both the lock and the weir are listed structures.[2][3]

The first hydroelectric scheme at the lock was instituted by the York Corporation in response to the high price of coal after the First World War.[4] The hydroelectric plant was opened in 1923 and visited in that same year by Princess Mary.[5] This scheme was abandoned in 1962[6] as the National Grid came into effect with power being sourced from larger generating stations fed mostly by coal.[7]

A second plant was Commissioned in 2012[8] after a protracted planning process that saw rival schemes being promoted on the north and south banks of the river, which meant that the plans were submitted to two different local authorities (Harrogate Borough Council for the south bank scheme and Hambleton Council for the other).[9][10] As well as local opposition to the schemes (which was down to visual impact as opposed to the actual scheme itself), the British Canoe Union (BCU) objected to the proposals.[11] They, like the local communities next to the river, were not in objection of green power, but the building of the scheme would seriously hamper what the BCU described as "the second best place in the country to practise our sport."[12]

The 2012 scheme saw an Archimedes Screw installed with a length of 28 feet (8.5 m) and a diameter of 9.8 feet (3 m). The screw was installed in 2011 with a capacity to generate 101 kW.[13]

A second scheme was proposed soon afterwards and gained approval in 2016 with construction starting in that same year. This scheme involves the world's largest Archimedes Screw used in hydroelectric generation[7][14] and is situated immediately to the south of the 2012 screw.[15] The second screw generates 1,250 MWh per year and in addition to the siting of the turbine, the company behind the venture, Linton Hydro, also reconditioned the fish ladder, built a new adjacent fish ladder and installed a new slalom canoe course via a new cut in the south bank.[16] Canoe England invested £200,000 to match the same amount of money by the company to build the new canoe course.[17] When complete the course will be open to all canoeists including a local club which competes at national level.[15]

The operators of the 2017 scheme acquired 100% of the rights to the 2012 scheme, which means the combined output from the plant is 380 kW or enough to power 450 homes.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Priestley, Joseph (1831). Historical account of the navigable rivers, canals, and railways, throughout Great Britain, as a reference to Nichols, Priestley and Walker's New map of inland navigation (2 ed.). Wakefield: Nichols. p. 492. OCLC 561373322.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Linton Lock (Grade II) (1151005)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  3. ↑ Historic England. "Weir and salmon ladder (Grade II*) (1293712)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Modern York: Economy and the Corporation, 1900-39 | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  5. ↑ Lewis, Stephen (21 September 2015). "OLD PHOTOS: remembering the Royal visit that turned into a boat ride across the Ouse". York Press. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  6. ↑ Woodward, G (April 1997). "A tale of two cities: hydroelectricity at Chester and York". Engineering Science & Education Journal. New York: IEEE. 6 (2): 54–60. doi:10.1049/esej:19970203. ISSN 0963-7346.
  7. 1 2 "Ouse got the Power: a trip to Linton Lock Hydro | York Community Energy". yorkcommunityenergy.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  8. ↑ Campbell-Swann, Ellan. "Linton Lock: British Hydropower Association". www.british-hydro.org. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Generator would be 'vandalism'". York Press. 11 October 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Dooks, Brian (22 March 2004). "Councils fail to agree over power plan at listed lock". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "River power plant gets green light". York Press. 19 June 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Ouse hydro-electric schemes in conflict". York Press. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "Landustrie: Linton Lock". www.landustrie.nl. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "World's largest hydroscrew made in the Netherlands - Water Alliance". wateralliance.nl. 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  15. 1 2 Barnett, Ben (22 May 2016). "Sporting pay off from green energy project on the Ouse". The Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  16. ↑ "Linton Hydro Limited". www.lintonhydro.co.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  17. ↑ "Greener than fracking: The giant screw in North Yorkshire's countryside". The Yorkshire Post. 31 July 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  18. ↑ "River Ouse set to power 450 homes near York". York Press. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
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