Hydro scheme dropped

THE £1M hydro-electric scheme for the Thames in Abingdon has been dropped due to spiralling costs and the cut in benefits.

Though hydro-power—using the power of a flowing river— is recognised by many as the cheapest and least intrusive method of creating electricity, rising cost has thwarted plans for such an installation at Abingdon, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Community group

It was the Benefit of the Community group that wanted to install two hydrodynamic installations at the weir at Abbey Meadow, that it was told would generate enough power for up to 200 homes.

A licence and planning permission were granted for the installation three years ago by the Environment Agency, but monetary incentives such as the tax rebate scheme for community energy groups were withdrawn, making it all too expensive, so the scheme has been scrapped.