PLANS for a hydroelectric plant along the River Weaver near Dutton Lock have been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Adjacent to Dutton Sluice, a Grade II-listed property, the proposed Archimedean screw could generate up to 900MWh of renewable energy each year, saving 514 tonnes of CO2. The scheme has an anticipated 60 year-plus lifespan.

The plans explain how water will pass through an Archimedean screw adjacent to the sluice gate on the southern bank of the river, with flow controlled by an automatic sluice gate.

They said: “The weight of water flowing through the Archimedean screw will cause the screw to turn thereby harnessing the energy in the water.

“The energy will be converted into electricity by the generator, which in turn will be exported to the National Grid via a buried cable to a point agreed with the Distribution Network Operator.”

A fish pass would also be constructed to allow for safe upstream migration.

The majority of the installation will sit below the level of surrounding surfaces apart from the powerhouse – planned to have a sturdy door and no windows to contain the noise of the gearbox.

The Dutton Sluice is part of the flood control defences which, planners say, made the Weaver the leader in water management in the late 1800s.

Plans have been submitted by Hallidays Hydropower on behalf of H2O Power Ltd.