SSE’s Glendoe power plant back on line

Published on 30/08/2012 00:00

ELECTRICITY production has resumed at Glendoe, the hydro-electric power station near Loch Ness that was closed by a rockfall in 2009 just months after it began generating power.

Perth-based owner SSE had initially warned that the station could be closed for up to a year before the firm realised that a separate tunnel would need to be cut through the rock, lengthening the time it would take to restart production.

Paul Smith, managing director of generation at FTSE 100-listed SSE, said: “The work to restore electricity generation at Glendoe has been undertaken in a very rigorous way to make sure that this strategic asset meets its original design criteria and is ready to play its full part in supporting the country’s electricity system for many decades to come.

“We will continue to monitor closely the performance of Glendoe to make sure that the reconstruction work has been fully successful.”

The Queen opened the £140 million power station near Fort Augustus in June 2009 but a tunnel between the reservoir and the turbine collapsed following a rock fall in August 2009.