SSE Renewables and Gilkes Energy have submitted a planning state request to Scottish ministers for a proposed pump storage hydro (PSH) project.
The Fearna PSH project is presented as a 50:50 Joint Venture project between SSE and Gilkes Energy, in which Gilkes Energy leads the development under a developer services agreement with SSE -Renomable energy sources. The schedule has an installed capacity of 1.8 GW and a stored capacity of a maximum of 36GWH, which results in 20 hours of storage. If approved, the project would be the largest Pomphydro schedule in the UK.
The proposed site is approximately 25 km from Ingarry in the Scottish Highlands and borders the existing Loch Quoich reserve of SSE Renewables, which is part of the Great Glen Hydro scheme. The development includes the construction of tunnels and a new power plant that will connect the existing Loch Quoich reservoir to an upper reservoir at Loch Fearna.
Plans for this project were first announced in July 2024, as reported by our sister publication Power ±. At that time it was revealed that an offer of a grid connection of a total of 1,795 GW was already protected for the proposed development. It has not yet been announced when a decision on the building permit is expected to be made by Scottish ministers, or if the construction could start and conclude or permission is granted.
Fraser Allison, project director of the FearNA PSH project, said: “We are pleased with a section 365 planning voice porting to Scottish ministers for Fearna. This exciting long -term electricity storage project could be the largest in the UK for both installed capacity as stored energy.
“We are looking forward to continuous involvement with stakeholders, supply chain partners and the local community while the planning process continues.”
PSH in the turnout
SSE already has the largest fleet of hydropower and pumped storage hydro assets in Scotland, and other companies are also trying to develop in the highlands.
A Recent study into the potential economic impact Van Statkraft’s Loch after Cathrach Pomped Storage Hydro scheme showed that it could offer hundreds of local jobs in the coming years. The University of the Highlands and Islands discovered that the 450 MW schedule could support no fewer than 500 jobs at Peak, a similar number such as the number of jobs created by the SSE Renewables schedule scheme.
