A SCHEME to provide residents in Corwen with hydro-electric energy from nearby rivers is one step closer to completion.

Energy Local Corwen, a community project established by Energy Local, a not-for-profit community interest company that provides small-scale renewable generators to communities across the UK, will see household electricity use matched by power from the hydro-electric turbine in Corwen town centre.

The project’s aim is to enable home-owners to take control of their electricity bills while supporting localised renewable energy.

Energy Local has established the project in collaboration with the South Denbighshire Community Partnership, a not-for-profit company that looks to improve life conditions for people in south Denbighshire, based at Canolfan Ni, Corwen community centre.

Power supplied to Corwen households will be generated by the turbine house in the town centre, which is driven by the Nant y Pigyn and Nant Cawrddu streams that plunge 500 feet from Corwen reservoir to generate 55 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power 40 homes a year.

The model is based on Energy Local’s first project in Bethesda, that saw 10 to 30 per cent savings in energy costs per household.

South Denbighshire Community Partnership will now be facilitating the establishment of the Energy Local Corwen Group, which will liaise with suppliers to establish tariffs, as well as discuss how surpluses from the scheme can be utilised as ‘community benefits’ throughout Corwen and surrounding areas.

Through the group, households will soon be able to apply for the scheme through Energy Local Corwen, who will carry out an installation process on each home that requires around two to three months, after which the hydropower will be accessible.

Margaret Sutherland, Chief Officer of South Denbighshire Community Partnership said: “SDCP is delighted to be involved in the formation of the Community Cooperative that will see local generation matched with local demand and, at the same time, benefit the local community.”

“The project is complementary to our aim to address fuel poverty and develop community resilience.”

SDCP will be hosting a public launch event of the Energy Local Corwen project at Canolfan Ni on the Thursday 5th July. There will be 2 facilitated sessions at 2:30pm and 6:30pm, to share and outline the opportunity with as many interested households as possible.

There will be the opportunity at the sessions to express an interest in this ‘limited availability’ project.