Monmouth New Hydro Scheme

The Monmouth New Hydro Scheme, which incorporates the Osbaston fish pass, is a hydroelectric scheme in Osbaston, near Monmouth, in South-East Wales.

The scheme produces 670,000 kW hours of electricity per year, which is enough to power 152 homes.^[1] It also provides heat for the landowner, Ronald Kear's, home.^[1] The scheme is built around two screw turbines. These Archimedes' screws are operating in reverse, with water flowing down, to power generators.^[1] An earlier hydroelectric power station had been on the site from 1896 until 1953, which itself was built on the foundations of an even older forge.^[1] Alongside the scheme is the Osbaston fish pass, built by the Environment Agency Wales at a cost of £600,000.^[1] The fish pass allows river-spawning fish, such as salmon, to access an extra 125 miles of river - something which they had not been able to do since Osbaston Weir was put in place in the 18th century.^[2]

The power station was officially opened on 23 September 2009 by the Earl of Wessex.^[2] Several months later, in June 2010, local schoolchildren released salmon into the River Monnow at the site of the power station - the salmon were initially reared at their school, Osbaston Primary School, as part of a class project. Once the salmon became fry, they were taken to Cynrig Hatchery, in Brecon.^[3] The fish pass is not only used by salmon, but also larger creatures - in June 2010, a camera set up at the site of the fish trap caught footage of an otter swimming through the trap.^[4]

51°49′13″N 2°43′27″W / 51.8203°N 2.7241°W / 51.8203; -2.7241