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Hydro Electric Plant at Newark Town Lock


pearley

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CRT have filed an application with Newark & Sherwood Council to install a hydro electric plant in the old lock chamber alongside Town Lock. As with Holme Lock, there appears to have been no consultation with boating groups or any risk assessment carried out.

 

https://publicaccess.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage

 

 

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Good it is such a shame to see all that water pouring down and the energy going to waste. Every big lock should have one to reduce our need for power stations.  I can see no impact on boaters unless they like going over weirs, or sticking their boat under the waterfall to wash it. Canoeists sometimes use a weir race for white water but as there is no change in the rate of water flow just a diversion in location it should not prove a problem. An Archimedes screw type turbine is fish friendly as well, can even provide better access for migrating fish than a weir does.

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8 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Has anyone been down the Avon with the weir on one side and the hydro draw on the other just above Evesham Lock, Isn't there also concern about one further up the Trent drawing a lot of water.

Given how many boats have passed through Holme Lock with no problems since the hydro plant was installed, I would say that if there was any concern it has proven to be unfounded.

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I thought the turbine at Newark had been fitted a few years back . I guess it didnt go ahead , or perhaps it was not successful.

I believe there was some kind of turbine in place at the same location hsitorcally.

There will be no permanant affect on boaters if the turbine water is taken from the weir. The weir is well upstream from the lock and any changes in flows  or turbulence from the turbine will be on the non navigable section just below the weir.

Any  construction work will require risk asessment as required by The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. However such thoings are not required to be made available to the public. Any health and safety affect on boaters would probably be dealt. Usualy if ther are works carried out that may cause delays etc  the  C&RT publish a notice on their website.

 

The turbine at Holme lock allegedly causes a flow in the lock approach due to the turbine being located in the old lock rather than in the weir . Not a big deal.

 

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2 minutes ago, MartynG said:

I thought the turbine at Newark had been fitted a few years back . I guess it didnt go ahead , or perhaps it was not successful.

I believe there was some kind of turbine in place at the same location hsitorcally.

There will be no permanant affect on boaters if the turbine water is taken from the weir. The weir is well upstream from the lock and any changes in flows  or turbulence from the turbine will be on the non navigable section just below the weir.

Any  construction work will require risk asessment as required by The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. However such thoings are not required to be made available to the public. Any health and safety affect on boaters would probably be dealt. Usualy if ther are works carried out that may cause delays etc  the  C&RT publish a notice on their website.

 

The turbine at Holme lock allegedly causes a flow in the lock approach due to the turbine being located in the old lock rather than in the weir . Not a big deal.

 

The new plant will be in the old lock next to the new lock not in the weir stream.

 

Might upset the folks who tend to moor on the wall there. But should not cause a navigation problem.

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1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

The new plant will be in the old lock next to the new lock not in the weir stream.

 

Might upset the folks who tend to moor on the wall there. But should not cause a navigation problem.

Therefore a new plan . The old turbine was and may still be in place.

It might  cause turbulence below the old lock. It will  probably have to be no mooring on the between the trip boat and the old lock.

 

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

What if keeping the turbine generating takes precedence of water levels in the dryer months? 

I expect the design will not allow water to be drawn by the turbine if the river level upstream becomes too low .

 

 

 

 

Edited by MartynG
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If the water levels drop in the River then the man-made 'Newark cut' would take precedence as the water level would drop below the weir / overflow (near the power station as the actual course of the River flows away from Newark), but the water would continue to flow down the cut, into Newark and down the Town Lock / New Turbine channel.

 

The only time there may be a 'water problem' is in times of high water when the flood gates are closed (upstream of the Lock) and there would be no flow, the water 'backs-up' and then flows over the overflows and back into the (true) River.

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19 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Has anyone been down the Avon with the weir on one side and the hydro draw on the other just above Evesham Lock, Isn't there also concern about one further up the Trent drawing a lot of water.

The one on the Avon causes no problem. If you get too close then there is a draw, but no worse than many weirs.

 

Steve

 

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21 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Has anyone been down the Avon with the weir on one side and the hydro draw on the other just above Evesham Lock, Isn't there also concern about one further up the Trent drawing a lot of water.

 

Due to our length we have to wind above this lock and do the lock backwards. This was really easy to do but then the locky then told us the hydro was tuned off due to low water levels. If it had been running the turn would have been almost impossible, we would have had to wind further up then reverse along the full length of the weir. Some of these little hydro installations are very bad, even dangerous, for boating.

 

............Dave

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29 minutes ago, dmr said:

Due to our length we have to wind above this lock and do the lock backwards.

I would honestly like to know how that helps. Is it to avoid catching the rudder on the cill?

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2 hours ago, Just Heaven said:

The one on the Avon causes no problem. If you get too close then there is a draw, but no worse than many weirs.

 

Steve

 

If you know its there, I kept well to that side away from the weir on my left and found it interesting

Edited by ditchcrawler
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1 hour ago, MartynG said:

I would honestly like to know how that helps. Is it to avoid catching the rudder on the cill?

 

The cill is only a bit above water level (lock empty) so the front can overhang the cill gaining several  more inches. Also I think a notch was cut into the centre of the cill  that the front can sit in if required, much lower risk putting the front in here than the rudder/skeg, but its the overhang that really helps.

 

..............Dave

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