SSE and Gilkes Energy have agreed to advance the Fearna pumped storage hydropower (PSH) project in Scotland through a 50-50 development joint venture (JV).
Proposed to be built at the western end of Glengarry, nearly 25km west of Invergarry, the Scottish pumped storage hydropower facility is expected to have a capacity of up to 1.8GW.
Its location will be near the existing Loch Quoich reservoir, owned by SSE Renewables, in the Great Glen hydro scheme.
The Fearna pumped storage hydropower project involves the development of tunnels and a new power plant. The approximately 1km long tunnels will connect the Loch Quoich reservoir with an upper reservoir at Loch Fearna.
The proposed pumped storage hydropower project is expected to generate close to 37GWh of stored energy capacity. It has already obtained a grid connection offer totalling 1.8GW.
Under the terms of the JV, Gilkes Energy will lead the development of the Fearna project according to a development services agreement with SSE Renewables.
Gilkes Energy managing director Carl Crompton said: “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. PSH projects can easily last for 100+ years with no degradation in performance.”
A scoping opinion request for the Fearna pumped storage hydropower project was submitted to the Scottish government ministers. Consultation has commenced with consulting local communities and organisations.
The planning consent application for the proposed co-development is expected to be filed to the Scottish government ministers in due course.
Once approved, the Fearna facility is said to become one of the largest pumped storage hydropower projects in the UK.
Upon reaching a final investment decision, the project is anticipated to achieve commercial operations in the mid-2030s.
SSE Renewables hydro investment management head Ross Turbet said: “The proposed Fearna project is a welcome addition to our development pipeline of pumped storage hydro projects, which also includes our proposal to develop what could be one of Britain’s biggest pumped storage schemes in 40 years at Coire Glas and our intention to convert our existing Sloy Power Station into a pumped storage facility.
“Our vision for the delivery of pumped energy storage solutions for a net zero Britain demonstrates SSE Renewables’ ongoing commitment to optimising the value of our existing hydro assets while investing in new hydro projects as part of our wider renewable portfolio.”
