Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has visited Drax Group’s Cruachan pumped storage hydropower plant to see progress on an £80 million upgrade and refurbishment programme.
Swinney toured the underground power station, near Oban in Argyll, on 10 August, meeting staff involved in operating and maintaining the facility as well as those delivering the refurbishment works.
The investment includes the refurbishment of two of Cruachan’s generating units and replacement of all four of the plant’s main inlet water valves. The programme is expected to increase the generating capacity of the facility.
“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,” Swinney said. “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.”
Located inside Ben Cruachan, Cruachan opened in 1965 and was the first large-scale reversible pumped storage hydropower facility in the world.
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.”
Commenting further on his visit, Swinney said: “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.”
Drax also owns and operates the Lanark and Galloway hydro schemes in Scotland. Its wider Scottish portfolio includes wind and solar assets and two battery energy storage system developments.
