Red John Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme


Why Pump Storage

Between 2007 and 2015, the total installed capacity of renewables electricity in Scotland has more than doubled.  Due to its intermittent nature, the rise in renewable generation has resulted in increased demand for flexible capacity to help meet energy balancing requirements for the national grid system.

Pumped storage hydro is considered by the Directors to be the most developed and largest capacity form of grid energy storage that currently exists.  This can help reduce renewable energy curtailment and therefore promote grid stability.

 

 

 

 

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PSH Technology

Pumped storage is a way of storing energy by turning electrical energy into stored (or potential) energy and back again to electrical energy. The system uses electricity to pump water from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir. This pumping happens at times when there is more energy being produced on the grid network than is needed. This energy is stored until it is required, when the water is allowed to flow back through a hydro-turbine, generating electricity to meet sudden or predicted spikes in consumer demand.

This cycle of pumping and generating repeats on a daily basis as required. Pumped storage utilises excess generated electricity when consumer demand is low and generates electricity when demand requires. 
It can be used at very short notice to provide what the Directors consider to be a flexible and valuable balancing service to the relevant distribution network operator.


A typical conventional pumped storage hydro power plant consists of four components:

  1. Water reservoirs: normally two interconnected water reservoirs.

  2. Water piping: tunnels that allow moving water from one reservoir to another.

  3. Powerhouse: facility with one or more pump/turbine and motor/generator assemblies that allow pumping water into the upper reservoir at off-peak hours, and discharging water into the lower reservoir.

  4. Grid connection: power transmission lines to move the generated power from the plant into the grid.

Components are often housed underground.

 

 

The Project

 

Scheme Characteristics

Scheme Capacity = 450MW
Penstock Length = 2,650m
Max. Dam Height = 39m
Penstock Diameter = 6-8m
Headpond Working Volume = 5M m³
Power Cavern Size = 100m (l) x 40m (w) x 40m (h)
 

Potential Construction Programme

Application Process (Section 36 / 37 of the Electricity Act)

Designations & Constraints

Permissive Route & Core Paths

Likely Effects

  • Loss of habitat / protected species
  • Water Quality
  • Noise
  • Air Quality (dust)
  • Landscape and visual
  • Transport
  • Amenity, recreation and tourism

Relevant Statutory Bodies

  • SEPA
  • SNH
  • Historic Scotland
  • SSE
  • Energy Consents Unit
  • Recreational and Tourism

What Has Happened So Far?

  • Scoping Opinion received from Highland Council and the Energy Consents Unit
  • Ongoing Consultation, Environmental Surveying and Community Engagement
  • Submission of Section 36 Application end of 2018
  • RED JOHN PUBLIC EXHIBITION was held on the following dates:
    Wednesday 27th of June 3pm - 8pm Thursday 28th of June 3pm - 9pm
    at the Dores Parish Hall, Dores, Inverness IV2 6TR

NOTICE OF DECISION

Intelligent Land Investments (ILI) (Highlands PSH) Ltd
ELECTRICITY ACT 1989
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997
THE ELECTRICITY WORKS (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT)(SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017

Notice is hereby given that Intelligent Land Investments (ILI) (Highlands PSH) Ltd has been granted consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 by the Scottish Ministers to construct and operate the Red John Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme, a pumped storage hydro facility with a storage capacity of approximately 2800 megawatts hours and approximately 450 megawatts of installed electricity generation capacity. It is located approximately 14 kilometres south west of Inverness within the Highland Council planning authority area.

The Scottish Ministers have also directed, under Section 57(2) of the Town & Country Planning Act (Scotland) 1997, that planning permission is deemed to be granted for the development.

A copy of the decision documentation and this Notice have been placed on the Energy Consents Unit website and can be viewed at www.energyconsents.scot by:

- clicking on the Search tab; then,

- clicking on the Advanced Search tab; then,

- typing ECU00000728 into the ECU Reference box; then,

- clicking the GO box; then,

- clicking on ECU00000728 and then clicking on the Documents tab; then,

- clicking on the Determinations tab;

 

A copy of the decision documentation and this Notice has been provided to the Highland Council to be made available for public inspection by being placed on the Council’s planning register.

Community Ownership

The ILI Group will offer the local community organisation an exciting opportunity to make an investment in the Red John PSH project.

Local Energy Scotland deliver the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) and are available to support the community organisation(s). This includes support & advice through a network of local development officers, resources and access to funding. For more information please visit the Local Energy Scotland website www.localenergy.scot


Community Benefit
 
Scottish Ministers do not have powers to mandate developers to provide community benefits from renewable energy schemes.  However in partnership with industry and communities have  developed national guidance through their Good Practice Principles, which they encourage all developers to use. Pumped Hydro Storage is not classed as “renewable” and as such it is for developers to consider the appropriateness of community benefits however the Scottish Government would encourage them to do so.
 

 

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QUESTIONS?

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Thank You