50 n CLEAN ENERGY July/August 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com Rapid repair gets hydro plant generating again Torrs Hydro in Derbyshire is the UK’s first community-funded hydroelectric scheme. The project is located where the Rivers Goyt and Sett join in New Mills, High Peak. The electricity produced is used to power a local Co-Op supermarket. The project was initially proposed by New Mills Town Council and a social enterprise, but was taken over by the local community, with Friends of Earth UK’s group coordinator for the area, Richard Body, taking the lead. The project was set up as an Industrial and Provident Society (now known as a Community Benefit Society), and cost around £330,000, with a third of this coming from more than 200 people and businesses who took shares in the scheme. The project has been nicknamed Archie, because it uses a reverse Archimedes screw turbine to generate power. Electricity produced by the turbine supplies the nearby Co-Op store. The power output can vary from 5kW on dry days, up to 50kW in wetter periods. This is enough to power the supermarket and export the excess to the National Grid. In 2024, the scheme generated 191,000kWh. In 2020, a new variable-speed control system was installed to help improve the plant’s efficiency and power output across a wider range of water levels. In 2021, the hydro scheme experienced an issue when an SEW-Eurodrive industrial gearbox mounted on the Archimedes screw turbine began to produce an audible noise. SEW-Eurodrive UK assessed the problem, and advised that the gearbox would need to be turned off, because it was at risk of seizing entirely, leading to a potential catastrophic failure. As part of its assessment, SEW recommended repairing the gearbox rather than replacing it. Because the gearbox has been custom-built for the project, a repair would be quicker and more cost-effective than replacement. It also matched the company’s ethos of reduce, reuse, recycle. The gearbox was removed carefully from the site, which presented challenges, because the power plant’s roof had to be taken off. The plant is also close to an historic bridge with restricted access. Other challenges included the lead time on the parts needed for the repair, which had to be sourced from abroad. Thanks to detailed planning, the process of removing the gearbox, refurbishing it, and replacing it took just two weeks. As part of a regular lifecycle service, which manages the gearbox’s operation, SEW now carries out at least one oil sample check every year to determine the status of the turbine’s internals. A traffic light system gives an indication of how the equipment is performing, with red or amber indicating that the gearbox needs to be repaired, while green indicates that it is performing well. The gearbox will eventually need to be repaired again, but the regular oil checks will give plenty of warning, ensuring that the hydro scheme doesn’t suffer a lengthy period of downtime. Because the Torrs Hydro plant helps to power a local supermarket, it is vital to the community. The rapid repair turnaround ensured that the project was up and running again within two weeks of the gearbox being removed. “Torrs Hydro is such an important project for both the local community and the environment,”says Richard Body, founding director of Torrs Hydro, and Friends of Earth group coordinator. “When the gearbox needed to be switched off, we knew we needed the turnaround for repair to be as fast as possible. “SEW-Eurodrive went above and beyond to get things sorted quickly for us, and get the scheme, which we’ve all put so much time into, back up and running. Their own genuine interest in the project is so great to see, and we’re really pleased to keep regular contact with them about how the hydro is doing.” n When a hydroelectric scheme used to power a supermarket in the Peak District started to make odd noises, it was decided to shut it down to avoid failure. The plant’s custom-built gearbox was removed, repaired and replaced within two weeks, minimising disruption. The Torrs Hydro generator is located to the left of the weir near where the Rivers Goyt and Sett meet in Derbyshire
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