Tellisford Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tellisford Mill |
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Head race and building housing the micro hydro turbine, Tellisford Mill
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Frome, Somerset |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°18′00″N 2°16′50″W / 51.2999°N 2.2806°W |
| Construction started | c. 11th century |
| Completed | 2007 (restored) |
| Cost | £135,000 |
Tellisford Mill is a special place in the village of Tellisford, Somerset, England. It's a modern power station that uses water to make electricity. This "micro hydro" power station is built on the site of a very old watermill. It sits right on the River Frome, about 5.5 miles (9 km) northeast of the town of Frome.
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Tellisford Mill: Making Clean Energy
Tellisford Mill is a "run-of-the-river" power station. This means it uses the natural flow of the river to create power. It doesn't need a big dam or a large reservoir. The mill has an "installed capacity" of 55 kW. This tells us how much power it can make at its best.
How Water Power Works
Water from the river flows into a special channel called a head race. This water then spins a large machine called a Kaplan turbine. The turbine is like a big propeller. As it spins, it turns a generator. The generator then creates electricity. This electricity is clean energy because it doesn't burn fossil fuels.
A Modern Upgrade
The mill was brought back to life in April 2007. A new, powerful 55 kW Kaplan turbine was installed. This new turbine replaced an older, smaller Francis turbine that was built in 1895. The old Francis turbine could only make about 6 kW of power. The new Kaplan turbine is much more efficient. It is expected to produce about 270 MWh of electricity each year. That's enough power for many homes!
More Than Just Power
Besides making electricity, Tellisford Mill is also home to a photographic studio. It's a place where people can take pictures. This shows how old buildings can find new uses in modern times.
