The joint venture, led by Gilkes Energy, has proposed a site at the western end of Glengarry, around 25km west of Invergarry. The site is adjacent to SSE Renewables’ existing Loch Quoich reservoir in the Great Glen hydro scheme.
The Fearna Pumped Storage Hydro project will involve the construction of tunnels and a new power station connecting the Loch Quoich reservoir with an upper reservoir at Loch Fearna.
It could be one of the UK’s largest pumped storage hydro projects, with up to 1.8GW in generating capacity and capable of producing around 37GWh of stored energy capacity. The project has already secured a grid connection offer totalling 1,795MW.
Ross Turbet, SSE Renewables’ head of investment management for hydro, said the development of additional pumped storage hydro projects was crucial for energy security and for balancing an increasingly renewables-led energy system.
“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,” he said.
The Fearna site’s mountainous location is particularly suited to a pumped hydro storage project, as it provides a high head with an average of 376m, along with short tunnels approximately 1km long connecting the two water bodies.
SSE Renewables already operates the largest fleet of hydro-electric power and pumped storage hydro assets in Scotland and is progressing development plans for new pumped storage hydropower projects in the Highlands.
