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Tellisford Mill facts for kids

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Tellisford Mill
TellisfordMillRaceandTurbine.jpg
Head race and building housing the micro hydro turbine, Tellisford Mill
General information
Town or city Frome, Somerset
Country England
Coordinates 51°18′00″N 2°16′50″W / 51.2999°N 2.2806°W / 51.2999; -2.2806
Construction started c. 11th century
Completed 2007 (restored)
Cost £135,000

Tellisford Mill is a special place in the village of Tellisford, England. It's not just an old building; it's a modern power station! This mill uses the power of the River Frome to make electricity. It's located about 5 and a half miles (9 km) northeast of the town of Frome in Somerset.

TellisfordMillFrancisTurbine
Old Francis turbine at Tellisford Mill

What is Tellisford Mill?

Tellisford Mill is a type of power station called a micro hydro plant. This means it's a small power station that uses moving water to create electricity. It's also a run-of-the-river plant. This means it doesn't need a big dam to store water. Instead, it uses the natural flow of the river.

How Tellisford Mill Makes Power

The mill was originally a traditional watermill. Watermills used the river's power to grind grain or do other work. Today, Tellisford Mill has been updated to make electricity. It has a powerful machine called a turbine.

  • The Old Turbine: For many years, the mill used an old Francis turbine. This turbine was built way back in 1895. It could produce 6 kilowatts (kW) of power.
  • The New Turbine: In April 2007, the mill got a big upgrade. A new, German-made Kaplan turbine was installed. This new turbine is much more powerful. It can produce 55 kW of electricity. That's almost ten times more power than the old one!

This new turbine is expected to make about 270 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity each year. A megawatt-hour is a huge amount of energy. It's enough to power many homes!

Who Runs Tellisford Mill?

Tellisford Mill is part of the Mendip Power Group. This group helps to create clean energy from water. They work to bring old watermill sites back to life. They turn them into places that can make electricity for people to use.

More About Tellisford Mill

Besides making electricity, Tellisford Mill is also a creative space. It has a photographic studio. This means artists and photographers can use the beautiful location for their work. It's a great example of how old buildings can be used in new and exciting ways.

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