Scottish Ministers have today given consent for the development of SSE’s proposed 600MW Coire Glas pumped storage hydro electric scheme at Loch Lochy in the Great Glen.
Coire Glas would be the first new large scale pumped storage scheme to be developed in Britain for over 40 years. It could also provide a major boost to the UK’s electricity generation capacity.
The 600MW scheme will extract, store and release energy to and from the electricity transmission system. It will have energy storage capacity of up to 30GWh, and will help balance supply and demand for power at a national scale.
It is currently estimated that it would require a total investment of around £800m. The construction period of the project is expected to take up to five years, with over 400 people employed at the peak of construction.
The project will comprise a dam and reservoir, an underground cavern power station and underground tunnel system and an outlet area on the shore of Loch Lochy. Once completed the scheme would therefore have minimal visual impact in the Great Glen.
A final investment decision to progress the Coire Glas scheme will require overcoming a number of commercial and regulatory challenges.
These include changes in the existing transmission charging regime for pumped storage and a satisfactory and supportive long-term public policy and regulatory framework.
Therefore any final investment decision to construct the project is unlikely before 2015 at the earliest.
Jim Smith, Managing Director of SSE Renewables, said: “Pump storage hydro electric schemes are an excellent means of energy storage and already play an important role in meeting customer’s peak demand for electricity in the UK. They also naturally complement the variable output from other renewable sources such as wind.
“The combination of the size, flexibility and short response time means that Coire Glas could provide a range of benefits across the whole GB electricity system in a way that no other proven technology can. Millions of households and businesses could benefit from this project.
“The consent for Coire Glas is therefore very positive, but before SSE can make a decision to invest in the project there are some major hurdles to overcome.
“SSE is now keen to engage further with both the UK and Scottish governments, as well as other relevant organisations, to develop an appropriate solution to the commercial challenges that could enable what would be an important asset for the UK energy system to progress.”