THE Whalley Hydro project is set to start generating electricity for the first time this week.

The special water gates that control the flow of the River Calder to the massive Archimedean screw, which will produce the power, were successfully tested on Saturday.

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Now the metal piles installed to protect the 12-metre long 13-ton mechanism installed last mon- th have to be removed for the water to start turning the £200,000 equipment.

Whalley Community Hydro director Chris Gathercole said if testing and preparation goes well, the screw could start generating electricity later this week or early next.

Once power production begins, Dutch manufacturer Spaans Babcock will remotely test and tweak the equipment from its Heywood office to bring it to optimum production.

Mr Gathercole hopes the process can be completed for a mid-November hand- over to the social enterprise which has now raised £475,000 out of the total £750,000 cost through a share issue. Eventually the scheme will generate 100kW of hydro-electric energy from the river as the weight of the flowing water turns it.

The screw, which is 3.6 metres in diameter, is designed to improve the ecology of the river as it incorporates an improved fish pass, allowing fish to travel upstream more easily to access the upper reaches of the river.

The project was set up in February 2010 with Longridge-based William Pye taking charge of the civil engineering.

Income from the sale of electricity will be used to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions locally.

Mr Gathercole said: “We tested the water gates on Saturday and are now removing the metal piles to allow water into the inlet and then through to the screw mechanism.

“We hope, subject to any last-minute teething problems, to start test-generation of electricity later this week or early next.

“These are very exciting times.

“Sometimes I just have to go down to the river and have a look at it and wonder how we’ve got so far in just short of five years.

“So far we have raised £475,000 through the share issue and it is still open.

“We want as many people as possible to come on board so we can pay off the bank loan and reduce our costs.”