Conservative Councillor Roger Rigby has slammed Bedford Borough Council after it emerged its ‘Archimedes Screw’ hydro-power plant on the Embankment has failed to generate expected levels of electricity this year.
The plant was expected to generate 190,000 Kilowatt hours (kWh) of power annually but in the year April 2013 – March 2014 it provided just 128,600 kWh.
Councillor Rigby said:
‘In 2010 when the Mayor proudly announced the Archimedes Screw it was going to generate 190,000 kWh per year of energy. By the time it was built in June 2012 this figure mysteriously dropped to energy generation of approximately 160,000 kWh. Now, in the 12 months ending in March we have been told it generated only 128,600kWh.
‘The problem appears to be the wrong sort of water and the wrong sort of weather. The cost of this scheme was £556k and this is proving to be a poor use of taxpayers’ money. The Mayor convinced himself that this project was going to deliver 190,000 kWh regardless of floods and drought.
‘I am sure all councillors want a greener Borough. However, £556k focussed on energy efficiencies in the Borough’s older buildings would have made a massive difference to cutting their carbon footprint. I am sure the Mayor was looking for a green headline grabber but what he got is the poor value green elephant now lurking at the old river boatslide.’