---
title: "W722 - Longbridge Weir Hydroelectric Plant Maintenance"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DERBY CITY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-04-01"
---

# W722 - Longbridge Weir Hydroelectric Plant Maintenance

Buyer: DERBY CITY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0

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## Summary

Derby City Council has completed the procurement process for the Longbridge Weir Hydroelectric Plant Maintenance, awarding the contract to Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd. The procurement was conducted through a direct award method under the Procurement Act 2023, due to the absence of competition for technical reasons. The contract covers repair and maintenance services for the hydropower plant, which has been operational since 2011. It will run from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2031. The location for the services is Derby, United Kingdom, focusing on the energy sector and specifically electrical distribution equipment maintenance.

This tender presents notable opportunities for businesses specialising in small-scale hydropower maintenance to enhance their profiles by engaging in a project that demands specialist technical knowledge and 24-hour emergency response capability. Though the contract has been directly awarded due to limited market competition, companies already operating in the renewable energy sector might find opportunities by establishing expertise in niche areas, similar to Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd. Such projects can be lucrative for organisations that can offer tailored services and maintain a local presence, demonstrating their reliability and agile response in servicing critical infrastructure.

## Notice

The Longbridge Weir Hydropower House was constructed in 2011 to generate renewable electricity, primarily for the Council House. Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd was the original designer and constructor of the installation and has provided operation and maintenance services since commissioning. The plant has now been operational for approximately 14 years. As it approaches the later stages of its asset lifecycle, several major components are at increased risk of failure due to age and will require replacement within the next five years. Ongoing operation and maintenance therefore require specialist technical knowledge of the original design and construction of the installation. Accordingly, a direct award is permitted under the Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 5, item 6(a), as competition is absent for technical reasons and only a particular supplier can supply the required services. The market for contractors capable of maintaining and upgrading a small-scale hydropower installation of this nature is extremely limited. The plant requires a cost-effective 24-houremergency response capability, which most specialist providers are unable to deliver. Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd is locally based, enabling this requirement to be met. As the original constructor, the supplier also has detailed and unique knowledge of the plant, presenting a significant technical barrier to alternative providers. The small scale of the installation further reduces commercial viability for other contractors. These market conditions are not expected to change.

### Procurement Information

The Longbridge Weir Hydro Power House was built in 2011, primarily to power the Council House. Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd were the original contractor for the project and have serviced the plant ever since. The plant has now been operational for 14 years and some larger parts of the plant are at risk of failure due to age and will require replacement in the coming 5 years. This contract has been procured twice via a VEAT Notice (now replaced by the Transparency Notice under the Procurement Act 2023) since 2021 and has received no challenges in that time. It was last tendered in 2017, when only two bids were received, and the one not from the incumbent supplier was significantly higher in price. The likely reasons for this are: - There are a limited number of contractors in this highly specialist field, and the majority are unable to cost effectively provide the 24-hour emergency back-up which the plant requires (Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd are locally based at Matlock Bath). - Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd, having originally constructed the plant are very familiar with its construction, which puts off other contractors. - The scale of the operation is very small, meaning other contractors consider it a high risk. This situation has not changed in the intervening years and is unlikely to in the future. In addition to the above, Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd has performed well, having worked to improve plant efficiency and reduce operational spend. Direct award is permitted under the Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 5, item 6 (a) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030223-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 1 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 7 Jan 2026 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £730,000 |
| Contracts value | £730,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DERBY CITY COUNCIL |
| Locality | DERBY |
| Post town | Derby |
| Postcode | DE1 2FS |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLF1 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire |
| ITL 3 | TLF11 Derby |
| Local authority | Derby |
| Electoral ward | Darley |
| Westminster constituency | Derby South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DERWENT HYDROELECTRIC POWER |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 50 - Repair and maintenance services

### Codes

- 50532400 - Repair and maintenance services of electrical distribution equipment

## Release History

- 1 Apr 2026 at 10:08 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030223-2026
- 29 Jan 2026 at 11:36 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007962-2026
- 29 Jan 2026 at 11:09 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007926-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030223-2026
  1st April 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007962-2026
  29th January 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007926-2026
  29th January 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.derwent-hydro.co.uk
- https://www.derby.gov.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0611c0.json.