by Janet Sanders
Water power has been used throughout Wales for generations. Many of the earliest systems were used on farms and slate workings to power machinery.  Increased access to mains electricity from the 1950's saw many hydros fall into disrepair. Now, with farm incomes falling in real terms, the pressure to diversify and the growing climate change agenda, farmers and landowners may be wondering if their own dilapidated hydro turbines, and streams and rivers could generate a source of income for them.  It certainly was very good weather for hydro when I went to visit Tegwyn Jones who farms 900 ewes and 30 suckler cows on his 1000 acre organic hill farm in Mallwyd, Gwynedd.   His family has a tradition of generating electricity from water since the 1920s. 

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