Plans unveiled for monster £3bn Loch Ness pumped storage hydro scheme

Plans have been unveiled for a £3 billion pumped storage hydro (PSH) project located near Loch Ness in Scotland.

Glen Earrach Energy said its proposed facility will be capable of delivering up to 30GW hours of clean energy.

The project, located at Balmacaan Estate, will leverage Loch Ness’ unique geography.

“With a substantial height difference exceeding 480 meters between the upper and lower reservoirs, it will maximise power generation while minimising its impact on Loch Ness water levels. This design ensures GEE’s project uses water more efficiently than any existing or proposed pumped storage project in the UK,” Glen Earrach explained.

The company said its pumped storage project is bigger than any other proposal or existing facility on Loch Ness in terms of size and power generation capacity (2GW power/30GWh storage).

It further claimed that the project will reduce the carbon footprint of the energy grid by 10% and save £2 billion in electricity grid running costs.

Glen Earrach is working with a consortium of advisors and experts on the project, including Aecom, Alpiq, Frontier Economics and LCP-Delta and revealed that it had recently submitted a scoping request to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit.

Roderick MacLeod, director at GEE, said: “Scotland is a leader in wind power, but the wind doesn’t always blow when we need the energy most. That’s when pumped storage hydro comes in. It is like a giant water battery, storing excess wind power when it’s plentiful and releasing it when the wind dies down.

“International experts have identified Glen Earrach Energy’s pumped storage hydro project as the most efficient in the UK, possibly even Europe. It will be needed to help Britain get to net zero.

“We deeply care about the Balmacaan Estate and are committed to engaging with the local community, businesses, and government. We’re actively seeking their views on how to maximise the project’s positive impact on the area.”