‘Killer’ Loch Ness hydro plant sunk
PLANS to build a giant hydro-electric scheme at Loch Ness have been rejected amid fears it could unleash ‘untold death and destruction’ on a tiny village.
The Red John Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme was turned down after planning chiefs raised concerns over a massive ‘headpond’ containing a billion gallons of water.
One planning committee member described it as ‘the worst planning application I have ever dealt with’.
Intelligent Land Investments (ILI) Group, based in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, said its plan had the potential to provide up to 300 jobs and 400 megawatts of clean energy.
The scheme would run between Loch Duntelchaig and Loch Ness and involve a massive ‘headpond’ being held back by a 230-acre embankment, rising to 127ft.
Much of the power-generating infrastructure would be underground, although buildings above ground would face Urquhart Castle. One councillor who rejected the application said he could not overlook the Whaley Bridge dam failure in Derbyshire.
Inverness South Tory councillor Andrew Jarvie said: ‘This is without question the worst planning application I have dealt with, and likely ever will deal with.
‘It is one that is on a scale unprecedented in the Highlands. It would be impossible to make a decision on this without the Whaley Bridge dam failure in the back of my mind.
‘A failure is unlikely but if it did happen, untold death and destruction would be faced along Loch Ness and down the River Ness and canal from a body of water five times the size of that at Whaley Bridge.’ Highland councillors formally objected to the Red John scheme, which means it will now go to a public local inquiry.
The hydro plant was described as being like a massive battery to be switched on as needed, not continuously producing for the grid. It would be regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, continuously monitored and have the ability to release water quickly into Loch Ness.
However, councillors cited its visual impact and potential effect on roads over a six-year build. They also raised concerns over the implications for the tiny village of Dores, on the eastern shore of Loch Ness, and surrounding area in the event of a breach.
Council committee chairman Jimmy Gray said: ‘Safety is foremost in my mind. We’ve never known this kind of structure anywhere else in the Highlands and I’m not sure we have any knowledge or experience of it here or even in the UK.’
Council leader Margaret Davidson described the application as ‘extraordinary’ in its lack of clarity and proposed an extensive list of conditions for the developer to meet. She tabled and won a motion for the council to object to the proposal.
She said: ‘I’m astonished at the lack of awareness by the developer of where they are. It’s Loch Ness, for God’s sake. The local inquiry will give us the opportunity to get to the bottom of areas where the developer has been reluctant to give more detail.’
The eastern shore of Loch Ness already has a hydro power station. Operated by SSE, Foyers is a combined pumped storage and conventional hydro-electric scheme.
ILI was approached for comment.