Scottish and Southern Energy proposal calls for two pumped storage facilities in the Great Glen
By Kevin Doyle
As its large-scale conventional hydroelectric station at Glendoe near Loch Ness was being officially dedicated and opened by the Queen on Monday, utility giant Scottish and Southern Energy announced it will approach the Scottish Government on proposals to develop two pumped storage hydro projects in the Great Glen.
SSE is seeking guidance on an environmental impact statement which will be submitted with planning applications. If approved, the two plants will be the first pumped storage facilities to be built in the UK since work started on the Dinorwig project in Wales in 1974.
SSE Chief Executive Ian Marchant said: “Our goal is to maintain a diversified portfolio of power stations, while achieving a 50 percent reduction in the carbon dioxide intensity of electricity produced.”
Pumped storage schemes generate hydroelectric power by dropping water down pipes built on hillsides to meet demand during peak times.
Scottish and Southern Energy is one of the largest energy companies in the UK. The firm is involved in the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity; energy trading; the storage, distribution and supply of gas; electrical and utility contracting; and telecoms.
The power generator already owns and operates a 300 megawatt pumped storage scheme at Foyers, on the south side of Loch Ness. It also plans to submit to the Scottish Government an application for consent to develop a 60-megawatt pumped-storage scheme at its existing Sloy hydro electric power station at Loch Lomond.
Source: www.cnplus.co.uk