The minutes from the 10th AGM and the PowerPoint presentation used in it are now avaialble on the website and available for viewing. They can be found in About Us or simply click.

If you weren’t able to join us at our AGM this year, or if you are looking for a reminder of what happened, the minutes and and a copy of the PowerPoint presentation used are now on the website and available for viewing. They can be found in About Us or simply click.

Harlaw Hydro congratulates Dean Park Primary School on its 50th Anniversary.  There will be over 40 panels on the school fence created by classes in the school and organisations in the community and these can be viewed from now to 30th June.  The Harlaw Hydro panel is shown below.

The reservoirs are white and frozen, but they are beautiful with the Pentland Hills as a backdrop.

On a normal day at Harlaw Hydro there is little excitement, water comes down, the turbine goes round, and we generate green electricity. In the background there is routine remote monitoring of water levels to try and maximise what we generate and a monthly greasing of bearings.

Last week was different. Despite having plenty of water we were generating in the low 60Kws rather than the 70kws and there was more noise than normal. With cameras to see and remote access to the controls actual visits to the turbine house are limited but Monday was the day scheduled for greasing and the system was not just noisy it was vibrating. Something was clearly not right. The power generated was reduced until the vibration stopped and our maintenance engineers were contacted.

We have a 20mm grill in the water tower to stop debris (and fish) coming down the pipe,
• could this be partially blocked?
• But where did the vibration come from?
• And why was there a Heron standing beside our plunge pool?

Our engineers systematically checked the turbine, including removing the two inspection covers to allow them to inspect the runner (the part of the turbine that spins round and gives us the power). The runner was fine, as good as new, but what was that in the corner? A glove was put on and the body of a 5lb trout was fished out. The fish had been trapped round one of the guide vanes restricting and destabilising the flow to the runner, some how a small stick had also joined in. Fish removed, covers replaced and all now running perfectly.

The heron was disappointed.

Thanks to conscientious monitoring by our team and prompt action by Proterra (the firm that does our maintenance) all is well and no damage done. The addition of a microphone so that we can hear as well as see remotely is being considered.

The virtual AGM completed successfully on Friday 26th with all the comments from those who joined us being complimentary – those dry runs beforehand certainly were worth it.

As well as many of the regulars we were joined by members from Aberdeen, Anglesey and Gloucestershire.

The minutes, presentation and a recording of the event are now available here.

Many lockdown days ago we thought that we might be free to meet in September but this is looking less and less likely, accordingly the board has decided to hold the AGM as a webinar, ie remotely over the internet. Members have been sent, papers for the AGM and will know that the date is Friday 26th June at 7.30pm. Details of how to join the webinar will be sent out nearer the time.

The Coronavirus, even with its slightly snappier title of Covid-19, has invaded almost every aspect of life but not quite all; when it rains the water still goes down the hill. In the last financial year mother nature has truly provided.

In line current restrictions the AGM will not be in June this year, it may be possible to hold it in September, that will be assessed during the summer.

Water everywhere, Threipmuir and Harlaw Reservoirs overflowing, the by-pass channel full and the Harlaw Hydro system going flat out.

What a contrast with November 2018.