Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney visited Drax Group’s Cruachan ‘Hollow Mountain’ Power Station, near Oban in Argyll, on Monday to see progress on an £80 million upgrade and refurbishment of the iconic pumped storage hydro plant.
Carved into the interior of Ben Cruachan, the plant was the first large-scale reversible pumped storage hydro facility in the world when it was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1965. Today it continues to play a vital role in balancing the electricity grid and supporting the country’s transition to clean power energy grid by storing excess renewable electricity at times of low demand.
During the visit, Mr Swinney toured the underground power station and met Drax colleagues involved in operating and maintaining the site, as well as those delivering the major refurbishment works which will increase Cruachan’s generating capacity.
The investment will see two of Cruachan’s generating units refurbished alongside the replacement of all four of the plant’s main inlet water valves. Each water valve weighs as much as three double decker buses, and in one minute can transport enough water to fill an Olympic swimming pool.
First Minister John Swinney said:
“Pumped hydro storage is a technology with a long heritage in Scotland, and Cruachan Power Station a powerful example of how we can make our energy system more resilient and flexible for the future.
“As Scotland transitions to net zero, energy storage solutions like batteries and pumped hydro will be crucial in helping us scale up our renewable generation and ensure stability and security in our electricity supply.
“It was a privilege to be able to see first-hand the progress being delivered to upgrade facilities and meet some of the skilled workers involved in this iconic feat of engineering.
“The work underway at Cruachan demonstrates how Scotland’s vast renewable capacity continues to grow – with a strong pipeline of future projects providing well-paid, sustainable jobs and securing lasting benefits for communities.”
Steve Scott, Plant Manager at Cruachan Power Station, said:
“Cruachan is one of Scotland’s great engineering achievements and remains central to the country’s clean energy future. As more renewable power comes onto the system, flexible assets like Cruachan will be vital to keeping the grid stable and secure, storing power when there is too much and generating it when homes and businesses need it most.
“It was a pleasure to welcome the First Minister to Cruachan and show first-hand the scale of the work underway, as well as introduce some of the skilled people who keep this remarkable power station operating for Scotland and the wider UK energy system.”
Cruachan supports the national grid by releasing water from its upper reservoir to flow through its turbines and into Loch Awe below. The flow of water rotates the turbine which in turn rotates a generator to produce electricity. Excess electricity from the grid can at other times be used to drive the turbine in the opposite direction, pumping water from Loch Awe up into the upper reservoir, storing it for use later like a giant water battery.
Drax has a significant and growing presence in Scotland. Alongside Cruachan, the Group owns and operates the Lanark and Galloway Hydro Schemes, has acquired Edinburgh-based Flexitricity, added new wind and solar assets, and is progressing two battery energy storage system developments. Together, these assets are helping support a cleaner, more secure energy system.
ENDS
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Aidan Kerr
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About Drax
Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a UK leader in flexible, renewable generation and a global leader in sustainable biomass pellet production.
Our operations
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, solar, wind, pumped storage and OCGT generation – which provide power and system support services to the electricity grid.
We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.
Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is a leading integrated producer of sustainable biomass.
Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.Website: www.drax.com
