A POWER station could be built on the picturesque River Tavy in Tavistock, following a recommendation at a meeting in the town last week. Members of the town council?s finance committee agreed more than £1,300 should be spent on an expert investigation into the flow of the river, with a view to constructing a hydropower station in the area. The proposal was sparked following comments at a recent consultation day, when a member of the public suggested the river could be used to generate power to light monuments or historic buildings owned by the council. Town clerk Roger Howard said: ?You are dealing with very specialised equipment here. ?This cost would cover a detailed site survey, analysis of the river, siting of works buildings ? this isn?t a matter of dabbling a propeller in the river ? you are talking about building a small power station.? Cllr Jenny Metcalf, mayor of Tavistock, said global warming was a huge problem and it was ?vastly important? everyone should be encouraged to do their bit for the environment. ?The River Tavy is one of the fastest flowing rivers in the country ? it would be marvellous if something could be done,? she said. ?I think we as a town council should certainly be interested in fostering alternative forms of energy and encouraging people to use less energy.? Deputy mayor Cllr Caroline Keane said as best market town in the UK, Tavistock Town Council should be doing its bit, where possible, to be forward thinking. ?I think it would be an exciting project for us,? she said. Cllr Alison Clish-Green said: ?Although there are good aspects to this, there are other aspects why it might not be a good thing ? it could take up quite a bit of room.? Cllr Martin Taylor said: ?Dartmoor National Park Authority are seriously thinking about putting in mini hydropower installations. I think we should get some advice before spending all this money.? Cllr Norma Woodcock said: ?The River Tavy is already widely used, with Mary Tavy power station and with Morwellham. We?d have to be very careful we didn?t interfere with that. ?If you are to have any consistency of power you have to have a lake, a quantity of backwater to give you continuous power. ?I would be opposed to spending money on a survey. Alternative energy forms will come but I don?t think we as a town council are going to be generating it. It?s fine in principle, not in practice.? The committee agreed £1,364 should be spent on a consultants? report into a ?run of the river? micro hydropower site. The decision was due to be ratified by the full council as the Times went to press this week.