Cruachan wants to inspire youth
Energy enthused youngsters are being offered free tours of one of the region’s top visitor attractions.
Owner Drax Group Ltd has announced that all schools and higher education institutions will be welcome at Cruachan: The Hollow Mountain during term time and UK government minister, Lord Duncan of Springbank, pledged his support for the initiative when visiting the award-winning tourist attraction last week.
The announcement follows Drax Group’s acquisition of the VisitScotland fivestar-rated power station at the end of 2018 as part of a £702 million deal and is part of the company’s efforts to promote education and skills, particularly STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.
Lord Duncan toured the site, which welcomes around 50,000 visitors every year, learning about Cruachan and how the site can power the equivalent of more than 90,000 homes at times of peak electricity demand.
‘I first visited the dam as a school pupil and remember being in awe of the engineering achievement,’ he said.
‘I therefore welcome the fact that pupils and students are being given the opportunity to see this great example of first-class engineering free of charge.
‘Renewable energy is vital for all our futures and Cruachan’s commitment to educating young people about its important role in power generation and as a home to nature is to be applauded.’
Constructed between 1959 and 1965, Cruachan was the first power station of its kind and size anywhere in the world. Just a short distance from Oban, the site is also a haven for wildlife, with swallows, ospreys, pine martens and golden eagles all calling the mountain home.
Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said: ‘The tour really is an inspiring experience – we take visitors right inside the mountain to see the power station, including the turbine hall.
‘We’re keen to share this feat of engineering with the next generation to inspire them, and so offering free educational visits, as we do at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, is the obvious next step.’
The visitor centre is open from 9.15am to 3.45pm in winter and 9.15pm to 4.45pm in summer, Monday to Friday.
To find out more about visiting Cruachan, go to https:// www.visitcruachan.co. uk/.