Community group's second turbine

The turbine is expected to produce power for 15 years

A group behind a community-owned wind turbine has built another on a hill above a Powys town.

Bro Dyfi Community Renewables (BDCR) said its first machine, which started producing energy in 2003, had proved so successful that it wanted another.

The new 43 metre-tall, 500kw turbine near Machynlleth has cost £175,000 and is owned by 175 local people.

The turbine will start generating electricity next month and will create enough energy to power 1,000 homes.

The electricity is sold to the National Grid, but members of the BDCR co-operative receive an annual dividend from sales.

The group came up with the idea for its existing 75kw turbine, which it says was the first such project in Wales, in 2001.

But the turbine at Cilgwyn, also near Machynlleth, which is owned by 55 people, did not start producing power until two years later.

Electricity sales

BDCR said wind turbines were a "great source of clean and renewable energy".

Group spokesman Duncan Kerridge said: "Following the success of the first project we were looking to install another renewable energy system, and this seemed like an ideal opportunity."

The new turbine is based on Mynydd Glandulas above the mid Wales town.

BDCR chairman John Williams said some of the profits from electricity sales to the National Grid would be spent supporting and promoting low-carbon travel options such as cycling and buses.