OREANDA-NEWS. August 18, 2015. This week SSE will open the new Pitlochry archive centre which charts the history of energy in the north of Scotland.

Tom Johnstone is widely credited with creating the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board, and rightly so.  Achieving an engineering and social legacy of this scale requires many heroes and Engineer Sir Edward MacColl was one of those.

Born in Dumbarton, Sir Edward served his apprenticeship in the famous John Brown’s Shipyard in Clydebank and was a pioneer of hydro electricity and bringing power to the highland glens.

Having spent his early career working for the Glasgow Corporation and Clyde Valley Electric Power Company, in 1936 he proposed a large hydro-electric scheme linking Loch-Sloy and Loch Lomond.

However, it took seven years to bring his vision to reality.

Having been appointed Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board, he went on to build hydro-electric schemes including Glen Affric-River Beauly, Breadalbane, Loch Sloy-Loch Awe, Glen Garry-Glen Moriston, Strath Conon and Loch Tummel.

Sadly, he died shortly before he could see the Tummel scheme to completion, having built a reputation for working exceptionally hard.

Instead of a grand opening ceremony at Pitlochry Power Station, a memorial service was held in Sir Edward’s honour with a permanent memorial unveiled at the site.