OREANDA-NEWS. November 14, 2012. SSE Renewables welcomes decision by the Highland Council to raise no objection to the Coire Glas pumped storage hydro electric scheme proposed for the Great Glen. The final decision on the proposal rests with Scottish Ministers, but as the scheme would be located in the Highlands, the local authority’s opinion is taken into consideration.

The scheme would be the largest hydro project to be built in Scotland and the first brand new pumped storage scheme to be developed in Great Britain since work began on the Dinorwig scheme in Wales in 1974. With a cost currently estimated at around ?800m it would also be one of the largest construction projects in Scotland.

Pumped storage schemes involve two bodies of water at different heights. During periods of low demand for power, electricity is used to pump water from the lower loch to the upper reservoir. The water is released to create energy at a time when demand is high. A key advantage of developing a pumped storage scheme at Coire Glas is the site's proximity to a large lower reservoir (Loch Lochy).

The proposed scheme involves constructing a dam and the creation of a new reservoir formed at Loch a' Choire Ghlais. Water will be transferred between the new reservoir and an underground cavern power station via a headrace tunnel; and between the power station and Loch Lochy via a tailrace tunnel.

Colin Nicol, SSE’s Director of Onshore Renewables, said: “We welcome the news that the Highland Council South Planning Committee has unanimously agreed to raise no objection to our proposal for Coire Glas.

“The report presented to the committee recognises that the scheme would be of overall benefit to the Highlands. We believe it would also make a valuable contribution to meeting our future energy needs by allowing surplus energy to be stored and made available at times of high demand.

“A project of this scale would bring significant positive benefits to the communities which surround it and we are committed to maximising theses benefits to the local communities, businesses and suppliers should the scheme be consented by Ministers. We also recognise that there would be short term disruption during the construction period and we would continue to work actively with the council, public agencies and with local residents to identify the best ways to reduce and manage these short-term impacts.”