A Shrewsbury group spearheading plans to generate green electricity from Castlefields weir is on track to win a £15,000 grant as the deadline for voting approaches.

The Shrewsbury Hydro Group, part of Transition Town Shrewsbury, was formed to push forward plans to develop a hydro project at the weir as part of an eco-scheme to save 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

The group is up against hundreds of other eco projects across the county to be shortlisted for the final round of a competition run by EnergyShare.

EnergyShare has up to £500,000 available to support projects.

With just 12 days left in the competition, which is decided by public vote, Shrewsbury Hydro is in second place, making it eligible for the cash boost.

Mark Scutt, energy co-ordinator for Transition Town Shrewsbury, said today: “We face competition from a solar panel project in Devon and that will be very popular.

“We need people to keep voting to ensure we can guarantee the money in 12 days’ time. If we finish in first or second place we are guaranteed the funding but if we fell into third place we would miss out.

“This is the only scheme in Shropshire to be shortlisted and the only hydro scheme in the competition.”

The public vote ends on December 3, after which the winners will be announced.

Mr Scutt said: “The bid for £15,000 will be a nice Christmas present and will allow us to do all the environmental surveys needed before we can actually apply for permission to put in a hydro scheme.”

It is believed Shrewsbury would be able to generate almost two million kilowatt hours of electricity a year from a turbine installed alongside the weir.

The Shrewsbury group says that recent increases in fuel costs at power stations, together with the introduction of feed-in tariffs for electricity generated from water and other renewable sources, make it viable to harness the water power of the Severn.

To vote visit energyshare.com/voting or follow the links from Transition Town Shrewsbury at www.transitiontownshrewsbury.org.uk