A new £2.5M control centre, which remotely controls dams and hydro power stations all over the north of Scotland, has been opened at Clunie by Scottish Hydro-Electric. Fifty-six power stations, along with the Foyers pumped storage scheme, are now controlled from the centralised facility. All the associated electrical equipment, valves and barrages which are required to operated the systems and maintain river flows are also controlled from the new centre at Clunie.
At the opening of the facility chairman of Scottish Hydro-Electric, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, said: ‘This technological advance keeps Scottish Hydro-Electric right at the forefront of the development of hydro power in the world.’ Wilson also spoke about the company’s £200M refurbishment programme, which is focusing on its hydro plants. ‘Sloy is complete,’ he said, ‘Glenmoriston and Fasnakyle are at an advanced stage, and work at Rannoch will begin soon.
‘These refurbishments will increase the output of the hydro stations by about the same amount as building 200 windmills,’ he added.