Stockport Hydro celebrates 10 years of producing renewable energy on the River Goyt.

Greater Manchester’s first community owned hydro electric project,  Stockport Hydro at Otterspool, will have been producing renewable energy on the river Goyt at Otterspool, Romiley for 10 years on 22nd of October 2022. The plant has generated just under 2 GWh of power.

To celebrate this amazing achievement there will be open days in October when our knowledgeable volunteers will give tours of the site and talk about the complexities of such a venture.

As well as members of the public, our supporters and shareholders, we welcome everyone from the 100 local projects that have benefitted from our Environmental Challenge Fund since 2015,  raised from surplus income over expenditure from the sale of electricity and contributions from shareholders.

Image:  Representatives from the 16 projects who shared the 2022 Environmental Challenge Fund collect their award at the Hydro.

Open days:     

Sunday  23rd and Sunday 30th of October:  12.30 – 4.30pm.

Why not make a day of it on Sunday 30th and visit nearby Chadkirk Chapel and Country Estate which will be open 12-4pm?

Stockport Hydro is run entirely by volunteers and produces power that is fed directly into the National Grid. This creates an income that maintains the scheme, pays a return to investors and the Environmental Challenge fund. Over the anticipated 40-year life of the project, the scheme expects to save over 100,000 tonnes of CO2.

Address; Stockport Hydro at Otterspool Weir, Mill Lane, Romiley, Stockport SK6 3BR

Parking:

Please note: There is no parking on the site. Parking is available at Dobbies Garden Centre, across Dooley Lane or Vale Road Car Park, 5 minutes’ walk away and the safest place to cross the road. See https://carparkmaps.co.uk/carparks/view/13143

For further information/interviews contact:

Laurence Jackson on 0161 427 2217

Email: info@stockport-hydro.co.uk

Latest news from Stockport Hydro on Facebook

1. Note to Editors: Stockport Hydro Limited is an Industrial and Provident Society established for the benefit of the community. The Society was incorporated on 7 April 2010, with registered number 30943R, and its registered office is 1 Crown Street, Marple, Stockport, SK6 7JH. www.stockport-hydro.co.uk
2. Although fully funded, Stockport Hydro continued to accept investment to allow debt to be paid down and benefit returned to the local community more quickly. The offer of shares has now been closed, however, the prospectus can be found at www.stockport-hydro.co.uk for information only. A limited number of shares may still become available to those wishing to take an active part in running the scheme; anyone interested should email us to register an interest.
3. Stockport Hydro was created in association with Water Power Enterprise. It is a Community Interest Company – a social enterprise – limited by shares.
4. In addition to shareholder equity, Stockport Hydro was supported by loans from the Keyfund and from Charity Bank. These loans have now been paid back.
5. Construction was completed in 2012 and since October that year the plant has generated over 1.5 GWh of power. Accredited by the Environment Agency, and approved to receive the Government’s Feed-in-Tariffs, it was expected to return a profit within 3 years and this has been achieved. Investors receive interest on their investment and money is assigned each year to local community environmental projects.