The £2million f lood of cash... for 70 villagers

A VILLAGE hydro scheme could make millions for locals in the tiny community when it officially opens next month.

The ambitious project is in the remote former forestry village of Dalavich, 14 miles down a single-track road from Taynuilt in Argyll.

Its population – estimated at 70 – can now expect to benefit from £2million generated over the next 20 years by selling hydro electricity to the National Grid.

Residents behind the mammoth scheme, led by project manager Carol Thomas, set up a community benefits society called Awesome Energy (Dalriada) Ltd to run it.

Five people have been trained and are being paid to carry out regular checks on the £225,000 hydro turbine, which was shipped from the Czech Republic.

After a feasibility study in 2012 and the granting of planning permission in 2014, the scheme finally went operational on January 31.

It has partnered with renewable energy business Innogy, owner of Braevallich Hydro near Dalmally, which is allowing Dalavich to share its grid connection.

The turbine can be turned up – to top up the power that the larger Braevallich cannot produce – or down.

Mrs Thomas told The Oban Times: ‘Someone in the village once summed it up best [by] saying it’s taken ten years of dreaming, five years of planning and nine months of construction to make it happen – but it’s here at last.’

During the planning and construction work, much of it carried out by local contractors, the £1.5million project has used stone from the nearby Barracander Quarry, completely renewed part of the village’s water supply from the River Avich and revealed and preserved a Victorian stone power house and weir.

At one time, eight lawyers were grappling with the complexities.

A footpath has been rerouted so people can safely walk a loop, passing the rushing river and round the head of the hydro system, which is to be officially opened on April 22.

Mrs Thomas said: ‘What could be generated by our scheme is a £250,000 turnover a year. We have to pay money back but over the next 20 years it’s not unreasonable to expect £2million in payments.

‘The turbine should keep going for 40 or 50 years, so that means potentially even more money.’

‘Potentially more money’