Cruachan Power Station set for £1M upgrade

Drax Group’s iconic Cruachan Power Station, a hydroelectric pumped storage plant built inside the Hollow Mountain, is to undergo a £1million upgrade to modernise its turbine control system.

The upgrade will see the station’s current programmable logic controller (PLC) computer system replaced with a new design to put the station at the cutting edge of energy technology to improve Cruachan’s efficiency. World-leading control system builders ITI will undertake the design, installation and commissioning of the

upgrade across the station’s four units.

Cruachan plays a critical role in stabilising the country’s electricity system throughout the Covid-19 pandemic due to its flexibility. The plant can generate power in less than a minute when needed and can also store excess electricity from the grid like a giant battery, a service which was called upon when the low electricity demand during the lockdown coincided with periods of high wind power in Scotland.

In July, Cruachan became the first power station in Britain to provide critical system support services to the National Grid, aimed at reducing the threat of blackouts.

Ian Kinnaird, Drax Group’s Head of Hydro, said: ‘As the country continues to decarbonise, the station’s flexibility has never been more important. This upgrade will ensure the Hollow Mountain can deliver the fast, flexible power that hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses rely on for many decades to come.’

Bryn Thomas, Sales Director for Power and Infrastructure at ITI said: ‘We’ve been working at Cruachan Power Station for over 30 years and it is these strong relationships that enable us to work with them on developing solutions that enhance their operations, improve safety and support sustainable green energy production.’