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SSE’s Great Glen ‘hydro cascade’ continues with the Loch Fearna pumped storage scheme with bid to build two dams to hold 40 million cubic litres of water





An artist's impression of the proposed dams at Loch Fearna.
An artist's impression of the proposed dams at Loch Fearna.

SSE’s so-called Great Glen ‘hydro cascade’ continues with Loch Fearna pumped storage hydro scheme with the developer formally submitting the intention to apply for planning permission.

The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) outlines the general scope of the project deemed “one of the largest pumped storage hydro projects under development in the UK” with a generating capacity of up to 2000 MW.

The main part of the scheme comprises upper and lower reservoirs situated in close proximity to the west of the Quoich Dam with Loch Quoich as the lower reservoir, which is already used for hydropower and is the largest storage reservoir in the UK.

A powerhouse on the banks of Loch Quoich will house the pump-turbine units and ancillary equipment as well as two rockfill dams – the Fearna Dam and Coire Dubh Dam.

They would be constructed to allow the reservoir to store water between the levels of 538 metres and 600 metres providing storage of approximately 40 Mm3 (million cubic metres) of water.

It is anticipated that the dams would be constructed from rock which has been excavated from borrow pits located around the site and from other project related excavation works.

The dams would be of similar appearance and construction to the existing Quoich Dam while the powerhouse would be located on the shores of Loch Quoich within a disused former quarry and would comprise deep vertical shafts which would house the pump-turbine units.

There are a number of designations the proposals will have to contend with including national designations/wild land:

• The development lies within 10km of the West Inverness-shire Lochs Special Protection Area (SPA) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designated for black-throated diver and common scoter.

• The development lies 6km north west of the Knoydart National Scenic Area (NSA).

• The proposal sits almost entirely within Kinlochhourn-Knoydart-Morar Wild Land Area (WLA 18).

And, regional designations/other constraints:

• The proposed development lies within the Moidart, Morar and Glenshiel Special Landscape Area (SLA), which includes upper Glen Kingie and the long-established hydro landscape of Loch Quoich, dating from 1955.

• Glen Affric National Nature Reserve lies approximately 19km from the proposed development.

• The battlefield of Glenshiel which is of significant historical importance lies 6km to the north.

It is unlikely that any trees or woodland would be affected but the development “will result in the disturbance of carbon rich soils and peatland” and the site falls wholly within the Interlocking Sweeping Peaks – Lochaber Landscape Character Type as defined by NatureScot’s Landscape Character Assessment.

So far two in-person consultation events have taken place, the first on December 6, 2023 and the second on December 10, 2024 between 12pm and 7pm both at Glengarry Community Hall.

Invergarry Community Council, local MSPs and MPs as well as local Highland Councillors have all been informed of the proposals.

For the moment, councillors hearing about the PAN will only ask for relevant information to be brought forward while the full application is in preparation.


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