The Anonymous Widower

Save Loch Ness Campaigners Fear Highland Council Hydro Decision Will Pave Way For Further Approvals

The title of this post, is the same as this article from the Press & Journal.

This is the sub-heading.

Campaigners have hit out after councillors decided to raise no objection to plans, but only by the narrowest of margins

These three paragraphs add some more detail.

A community group has been left “disappointed” after Highland councillors decided to raise no objection to a proposed new hydro scheme at Loch Ness.

The Save Loch Ness group has been campaigning against what it brands the “industrialisation” of the loch, including the proposal for the Glen Earrach Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) scheme.

Yesterday, as a consultee on the project which will ultimately be decided by Scottish ministers, Highland Council’s south planning committee decided to raise no objection to the plans – but only on the casting vote of chairman Paul Oldham.

I can sympathise with the community group, but I believe that the Glen Earrach scheme can be incorporated sympathetically into Loch Ness.

  • The Glen Earrach scheme will be a 2 GW/34 GWh pumped storage hydro scheme, which could be the largest in the UK. So it is important.
  • The Glen Earrach scheme will contribute  to a Community Wealth Fund, which is expected to deliver over £20 million a year over the operational lifetime of the project.
  • The economics are favourable because the large height difference between the upper reservoir, at nearly 500 m above sea level, and Loch Ness
  • It could create up to a thousand construction jobs.
  • There appear to be no current plans for a visitor centre.
  • Once operational, the majority of the project’s infrastructure will be located underground.
  • The project is expected to be complete in 2031.
  • It is likely to last 125 years. I don’t think this is surprising, given that Invergarry hydro power station has just celebrated seventy years of operation, which I wrote about in 70 Years Of Clean, Renewable Power From Invergarry Power Station.
  • There were objections to the Coire Glas pumped storage hydro scheme, at the other end of the Great Glen.
  • The cost of the scheme appears to be around £3 billion.

Whether this scheme is approved will be a close run thing.

But it will be needed to help back-up all of Scotland’s offshore wind power, which currently stands at 5.7 GW and could reach 40 GW by 2040, according to Gooogle AI and Wikipedia.

October 10, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage, Environment | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council Raise No Objection To Major Hydro Scheme Near Loch Ness

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Highland Council is to raise no objection to a major hydro-electric project near Loch Ness – on the condition there are strict rules on rock blasting and the colour of a dam wall.

These three paragraphs add some more detail.

Under the proposals, Glen Earrach Pumped Storage Hydro scheme would use Loch nam Breac Dearga, in hills above Drumnadrochit, as an upper reservoir and Loch Ness as a lower one.

In a vote, Highland Council’s south planning applications committee was split on whether to support or oppose the plans.

Committee chairman Paul Oldham used his casting vote to back an amendment to raise no objection, provided blasting took place in daytime and the dam wall was blended in with surrounding hills.

It sounds like a good Scottish compromise was reached over a few drams.

As this will be a 1.8 GW/34 GWh pumped storage hydro project, it could play a large part in Scotland’s future.

October 7, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , | Leave a comment

Glen Earrach Energy (GEE) To Give £20m Per Year To Highland Communities

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Inverness Courier.

These two paragraphs introduce the article.

The announcement is underpinned by the publication of a new developer-led research report, the first of its kind in the UK energy sector, which brings together national polling, public consultation, and direct input from communities.

The report marks a major step in the development of the fund, setting out emerging priorities, design principles and governance themes that reflect what GEE has heard to date and will help guide the next phase of engagement.

Other points from the article include.

Size And Delivery

This is said about the size and delivery of the project.

Subject to planning, the project will provide up to 34GWh of long-duration energy storage in 2030.

All these projects seem to be on course for delivery by 2030. Mr. Ed. Milliband will be pleased.

The Community Wealth Fund

This is said about the Community Wealth Fund.

The fund will be rooted in the communities that share the key water resource underpinning the scheme, with scope to contribute to wider regional projects, including contributions to a Strategic Fund for the Highlands as a whole.

“The GEE Community Wealth Fund is about more than sharing the benefits of clean energy, it is about creating long-term value for the communities who make this project possible.

As the grandmother of all pumped storage hydro in the UK; Electric Mountain, started storing energy and producing power in 1984, the Community Wealth Fund should last a few years.

 

June 9, 2025 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , | Leave a comment

Ambitious £3bn Pumped Hydro Project At Loch Ness Moves Forward

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Sustainable Times.

These are the two introductory paragraphs.

A £3 billion pumped storage hydro (PSH) project near Scotland’s iconic Loch Ness is one step closer to becoming a reality. Glen Earrach Energy (GEE) confirmed on April 25th that it has officially submitted the planning application for its ambitious 2gw scheme.

If greenlit, this project would represent nearly three-quarters of the total PSH capacity planned for Loch Ness, contributing 34 GWh of the region’s 46 GWh storage goal. But it’s not just the storage that stands out. This development would also account for two-thirds of the generating capacity, all while using just half of the water previously considered. To put it into perspective, the project’s capacity would be on par with the combined output of around 800 onshore wind turbines scattered throughout the Highland Council area.

Note.

  1. The generating and pumping capacity for this ambitious scheme is given as 2 GW. Only three in China and one in the United States are larger.
  2. The storage capacity of 34 GWh will make it the largest in the UK, possibly the second largest in Europe to Ulla-Førre in Norway and one of the ten largest in the world.
  3. A projected 10% reduction in the UK grid’s carbon footprint is claimed.
  4. The cost of three billion is high, but compare that with the tens of billions quoted for the 3.26 GW Hinckley Point C.

The Glen Earrach scheme is not short on superlatives and the article in Sustainable Times is worth a thorough read.

Fifth Hydro Project Proposed At Loch Ness, is based on a BBC article of the same name.

These were my thoughts in the related post.

The Existing Hydro Schemes On Loch Ness

According to the BBC article, there are two existing hydro schemes on Loch Ness.

  • Foyers is described on this web site and is a reasonably modern 305 MW/6.3 GWh pumped storage hydroelectric power station, that was built by SSE Renewables in the last fifty years.
  • Glendoe is described on this web site and is a modern 106.5 MW conventional hydroelectric power station, that was built by SSE Renewables in the last twenty years.

Foyers and Glendoe may not be the biggest hydroelectric power stations, but they’re up there in size with most solar and onshore wind farms. Perhaps we should look for sites to develop 100 MW hydroelectric power stations?

The Proposed Hydro Schemes On Loch Ness

According to the BBC article, there are four proposed hydro schemes on Loch Ness.

  • Coire Glas is described on this web site and will be a 1.5GW/30 GWh pumped storage hydroelectric power station, that is being developed by SSE Renewables.
  • Fearna is described on this web site and will be a 1.8GW/37 GWh pumped storage hydroelectric power station, that is being developed by Gilkes Energy.
  • Loch Kemp is described on this web site and will be a 600MW/9 GWh pumped storage hydroelectric power station, that is being developed by Statera.
  • Loch Na Cathrach is described on this web site and will be a 450MW/2.8 GWh pumped storage hydroelectric power station, that is being developed by Statktaft.

In addition there is, there is the recently announced Glen Earrach.

  • Glen Earrach is described on this web site and will be a 2GW/34 GWh pumped storage hydroelectric power station, that is being developed by Glen Earrach Energy.

Note.

  1. The total power of the seven pumped storage hydroelectric power stations is 4.76 GW.
  2. The total storage capacity is 89.1 GWh.
  3. The storage capacity is enough to run all turbines flat out for nearly nineteen hours.

I estimate that if 2 GW/34 GWh of pumped storage will cost £3 billion, then 4.76 GW/89.1 GWh of pumped storage will cost around £7-8 billion.

April 27, 2025 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments