News

United Downs Geothermal Energy Project

At our Parish Council meeting on 10 July Peter Ledingham of Geothermal Energy Ltd gave a short introduction to this project which is due to run until mid 2020. Two wells will be drilled, starting in early 2018, to a maximum depth of 4.5k (about 3 miles). The drilling will probably last from 6 to 8 months and will continue 24 hours per day. Mr Ledingham was at pains to stress that this will not be noisy, the noise levels will be very carefully monitored, and that low limits, 45 decibels at night and 65 during the day, are conditions of the planning permission. The intention is that, by the end of the project in mid 2020, a one megawatt power station will have been built to create electricity – enough to power up to 1,500 homes.
The site being used is on the United Downs Industrial Site but there will be some impact on St Day in that there will be some additional traffic along the B3298 from Scorrier. Mr Ledingham stressed that this increase will be minimal and that it will only really be noticed on two occasions – when the drilling rig is being delivered to and removed from the site. These two movements will be very carefully planned.

Obviously, whilst there are obvious potential benefits from this project, there are also many concerns. It is really important that residents take the trouble to find out what is involved and this you can do by going to one of the planned public information events and asking questions. The first one is planned for Tuesday 25th July in the Mills Hall, Carharrack, between 3 and 8pm. It is a drop-in event so go when you are free.

One final important point – this is not a fracking project.