Reading Hydro

{{Short description|Hydroelectric power station in Reading, England}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}

{{Infobox power station

|name = Reading Hydro

| image = Reading Hydro (geograph 7093125).jpg

| image_caption = Reading Hydro with its twin Archimedes screws in operation

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|51.46148|-0.96486|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref =

| country = England

| location = Reading, Berkshire

| status = O

| construction_began =

| commissioned = 13 August 2021

| decommissioned =

| cost =

| owner = Reading Hydro CBS

| operator = Reading Hydro CBS

| ps_units_manu_model =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 46 kW

| ps_electrical_cap_fac =

| website = https://readinghydro.org/

| extra =

}}

Reading Hydro is a run of the river micro hydroelectric scheme in Reading, England. It is located on the River Thames, at the upstream end of View Island and using the head of water provided by the weir at Caversham Lock. With a drop of about {{convert|1.4|m}} and an average water flow of {{convert|37|m³}} per second, it can generate {{convert|46|kW}} of electricity with its twin archimedes screw turbines.{{cite web |url=https://readinghydro.org/technical-summary/ |title=Discover our hydro-electric plant |date=31 December 2019 |publisher=Reading Hydro CBS |access-date=14 February 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.shareable.net/a-people-powered-legacy-community-hydro-on-the-river-thames/ |title=A people-powered legacy: community hydro on the River Thames |work=Shareable |date=26 October 2021 |access-date=14 February 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-58187804 |title=Reading hydroelectric scheme to harness power of Thames |publisher=BBC |date=13 August 2021 |access-date=14 February 2022}}

The scheme is owned and operated by the Reading Hydro CBS, a community benefit society that was founded in 2017, after some years of preparation. By 2018, planning permission had been granted and construction plans developed. Investment was raised through share offers to the local community, and the scheme was officially opened on 13 August 2021.{{cite web |url=https://readinghydro.org/about/ |title=What is Reading Hydro? |date=25 April 2017 |publisher=Reading Hydro CBS |access-date=14 February 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://readinghydro.org/2021/08/reading-hydro-official-opening-ceremony/ |title=Reading Hydro Official Opening Ceremony |date=15 August 2021 |publisher=Reading Hydro CBS |access-date=14 February 2022}}

The turbine house has been decorated on two sides with a mural by Commando Jugendstil, entitled Community Energym, and representing the Reading Hydro community and the sustainable power the project will generate. A third side contains a rendition of Warming Stripes, a visual representations of the change in global temperature over the past 100+ years originally created by Professor Ed Hawkins of Reading University.{{cite web |url=https://readinghydro.org/mural// |title=Reading Hydro Murals |date=6 November 2020 |publisher=Reading Hydro CBS |access-date=15 February 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://readinghydro.org/2021/06/mural-unveil/ |title=Turbine House Mural Unveiled |date=7 June 2021 |publisher=Reading Hydro CBS |access-date=15 February 2022}}

Although the weir already had a fish pass, this was found to be too steep for many species of fish. As part of the approvals process for the hydro scheme, a new fish pass has been constructed on View Island in the form of a stream that crosses the island on a more natural sinuous course. Both the turbine house and the fish pass are readily accessible by the public footpath, locally known as The Clappers, that crosses over both the lock and weir, and gives access to View Island.