News

We’ve been delighted by the enthusiastic response to the news that the hydro is now operational with many requests for visits from local residents, council groups and other community groups interested in setting up their own community owned hydro schemes. Our only disappointment is that visitors are currently unable to see the screw turning as…

We have been working with residents living very close to the hydro to help identify the source of disruptive noise and vibrations which they have been experiencing in their homes recently. These have been traced back to the new weir B gate, which forms part of the new weir complex near Osney Lock. The Environment…

Great news from the river bank – we have started generating in earnest! With all the various tests successfully completed the hydro was ready to start generating, and with the recent rain, last Friday there was enough water in the river for the hydro to start running. The summer time is traditionally a time of lower…

Today marks another important day down at the river bank – the start of the final testing phase for the hydro. The hydro plant was technically commissioned on 30th January but that wasn’t the end of the story for the development work. A further phase of telecommunications installation and lock-keeper training then had to begin.…

Last summer we were thrilled to be awarded a grant by the University of Oxford Small Community Grants Scheme to enable us to carry out audience research and interpretation plan for development for the public open space.  A short film featuring three of the projects the fund has supported – including OLH – has just been…

Osney Lock Hydro will be featured on this Monday’s Inside Out (South) on BBC 1 at 7.30pm.   Local wind farm Westmill will also ‘star’ in this article on community energy.  Missed, it?  You can catch in on the BBC iplayer here.

Our GE59 test was carried out this morning, and following a satisfactory test of the generating equipment, the hydro has been officially commissioned – the executive team celebrated with much needed hot chocolate after a chilly on-site orientation session this lunchtime. There are still final bits of work to do before we get fully operational,…

Commissioning of the hydro is now underway.  Mann power are on site to test the wiring, check over the mechanics and programme the control panel. If you are passing by on the towpath you may occasionally see the screw turning as part of the process. Once commissioning is finished, the next step is for Scottish…

We are just days away from generating electricity at Osney Lock Hydro. The powerhouse is built, and now we are on to the final bits of electrical works and testing phase.  This will include testing the control panels, communications between the hydro and the new weirs, mechanics and overall electrics. The final test, the G59…

It was great to see champions of community energy recognised not once, but twice, in the recent New Year’s Honours list. Osney Lock Hydro’s very own Barbara Hammond, has just been made an MBE for services to the development of community energy especially in Oxfordshire. Peter Capener, cofounder and Chair of Bath and West Community Energy…

Powerhouse construction on track We are now quite a long way through the Turbine House build and expect it to finish in the next couple of weeks.Once this is completed, the next task is to put in the electrics. Solar PV roof As well as generating electricity from the hydro, we’ll also be building Solar…

We’re delighted to announce that the lease for the hydro site was finally signed by the Environment Agency, and Barbara and Saskya on behalf of Osney Lock Hydro on the 31st October.