The Anonymous Widower

Coire Glas Exploratory Tunnel 70% Complete

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in Ground Engineering.

This is the sub-heading.

A tunnel to investigate ground conditions at SSE Renewables’ Coire Glas project to build a pumped hydro scheme in the Scottish Highlands is 70% complete, as wider ground investigations come to an end.

These are the first three paragraphs.

Coire Glas on the shores of Loch Lochy in Great Glen is the first large scale pumped hydro storage scheme to be developed in the UK for more than 40 years.

It would take excess energy from the grid and use it to pump water 500m up a hill from Loch Lochy to a vast reservoir where it would be stored. This will be done through a tailrace tunnel, underground cavern power station, high pressure tunnel and low-pressure headrace tunnel.

SSE Renewables has started exploratory works on the scheme. This has involved building an up to 1km long and 4m wide tunnel to investigate the ground conditions in which the powerhouse will be built.

All the information gathered will be used in the detailed design of the 1,5GW/30 GWh pumped storage system, which is expected to be a £1.5 billion capital investment.

The Wikipedia entry for Coire Glas power station, says this about the current status and completion.

In December 2023, the exploratory tunnel had reached 720m in length.

A final investment decision will depend on UK government assurances about how the regulated electricity market would reward storage schemes. SSE hope to make that £1.5Bn decision in 2024, in which case the scheme could be completed in 2031.

I suspect that as this is one of the largest green energy projects in the UK, that there’ll be a lot of media coverage of the construction of this power station.

April 2, 2024 - Posted by AnonW | Energy, Energy Storage | Coire Glas Pumped Hydro, Pumped Storage Hydroelectricity, Scotland, SSE, SSE Renewables