The Canal and River Trust has applied to the Environment Agency for an abstraction licence in Yorkshire for a new hydropower generation scheme.

The application is for a full licence to abstract water from the River Aire at Knottingley Weir, West Yorkshire.

The application is to abstract water all year round at the following rates:

• 122,400 cubic metres an hour
• 2,937,600 cubic metres a day
• 850,000,000 cubic metres a year

at an instantaneous rate not exceeding 34 cubic metres per second

The Trust is looking to install a hydro-electric power scheme at the existing weir consisting of two axial turbines, a larinier fish pass and an eel pass. A notch will also be incorporated into the weir to aid fish passage. All of the water used to operate the scheme will be returned to the River Aire immediately downstream of the weir.