Energy

Hydro Electric Generation

Being built alongside the River Derwent, Baslow has had the good fortune to have an energy source running through its heart for centuries.

The river was originally harnessed in the 1700s to power the mill on the East end of the weir with the construction of two mill races which are still visible today. One of these races was subsequently converted to generate hydro electricity in the early 1900s and elements of an old turbine are still evident below the decking of Mill House.

Over the years several attempts to re-establish power generation have proved uneconomic due to the low price of fossil fuel electricity relative to the cost of construction.

However this scenario has now changed significantly with global warming, high prices for fossil fuels and a requirement for energy security. Against this background Baslow Environment Group has formed an Energy Group to revisit the feasibility for hydro electric generation.

Having obtained a grant from the Community Energy Fund, local consultants Derwent Hydro Projects have been appointed to undertake a Stage 1 Feasibility Study.

Following an initial survey and primary discussions with associated parties such as Severn Trent, the Environment Agency and the Chatsworth Estate, the early feedback is encouraging and we now need to progress into greater design detail and expanded dialogue.

The final elements of the Stage 1 Study are scheduled for completion by July 2025.