SSE and Gilkes Energy have revealed plans for a pumped storage hydropower scheme at Loch Fearna in Scotland’s Great Glen. This project will be developed through a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and a consortium led by Gilkes Energy.
Located about 25km west of Invergarry, the project will be adjacent to SSE Renewables’ existing Loch Quoich reservoir. The Fearna pumped storage project will involve the construction of tunnels and a new power station linking the Loch Quoich reservoir to an upper reservoir at Loch Fearna.
SSE Renewables, which operates the largest fleet of hydroelectric power and pumped storage assets in Scotland, is expanding its portfolio to include more pumped storage hydropower projects. These projects are essential for providing large-scale, long-duration electricity storage (LDES) necessary for the UK’s future energy needs.
The Fearna project aims to achieve a generating capacity of up to 1.8GW, producing around 37GWh of stored energy capacity. It has already secured a grid connection offer of 1795MW.
Gilkes Energy will oversee the project’s development under an agreement with SSE Renewables. A scoping opinion request is currently with Scottish Government ministers, and consultations with local communities and organizations have started. A planning consent application is expected to be submitted soon, and if approved, the project could be operational by the mid-2030s.
Ross Turbet, Head of Investment Management for Hydro at SSE Renewables, stated: “As the UK transitions to net zero, the development of additional pumped storage hydro projects will be crucial for energy security and for balancing an increasingly renewables-led energy system during periods when the wind doesn’t blow, and the sun doesn’t shine.”
Carl Crompton, Managing Director of Gilkes Energy, commented: “We are delighted to launch, in partnership with SSE Renewables, the Fearna Pumped Storage project. Energy storage allows energy produced during times of excess generation (mainly wind) to be stored and released later when there is a deficit of renewable energy. Pumped Storage Hydro projects are in effect very large water batteries and the technology behind these projects is very mature and robust.”
The UK Government is expected to decide on a new investment framework for long-duration electricity storage by the end of 2024, potentially opening the first application window for projects in 2025.
The Fearna site, with its mountainous location and ideal geology, is particularly suitable for a pumped hydro storage project. The site’s features make it cost-competitive and capable of blending into the landscape while supporting the region’s hydropower heritage.
