Drax submits plans for £500 million pumped storage hydro project

• 1 year, 11 months ago (2022-05-18)
• David Flin

Europe 1061 Hydropower 111

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British power generator Drax has applied to build a £500 million 600 MW underground pumped storage hydropower station at its existing Cruachan hydropower plant in Scotland.

Ian Kinnaird, Scottish Assets Director for Drax, said: “When the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining, this is when you need you long-duration energy storage to kick in and fill that gap.” He anticipates that planning approval will take around one year, with construction of the 600 MW plant beginning in 2024 and taking around six years to complete. Kinnaird said the company would need market support from the government to enable it to go forward with the £500 million investment needed to build the project.

The British government’s Energy Strategy, published in April, said that it was seeking to develop appropriate policy to enable investment in long-duration energy storage.