Earba Storage Project
56°53′06″N 4°28′05″W / 56.885°N 4.468°W The Earba Storage Project is a proposed pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH) scheme in the Scottish Highlands. If built, the project will be the largest pumped-hydro scheme in Scotland, storing 40GWh of energy with a maximum generating capacity of 1.8GW. [1][2]
Current Status
[edit]In March 2025, the project was granted Section 36 planning consent by the Scottish Government.[2][1][3]
Construction is expected to take around six or seven years.[1]
Proposals
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The scheme will use Loch Earba as the lower reservoir, and Loch Leamhain as the upper.[3][2]
Loch Earba (Gaelic: Lochan na h’Earba) consists of two bodies of water at around 350m above sea level (AOD), lying in a long glacial valley running southwest to northeast. Damming both ends of this valley will create the lower reservoir. When full the lake will be approximately 6km long and 500m across, with a top water level (TWL) at 376m AOD and a bottom water level (BWL) at 358m AOD. A complete generation cycle will therefore raise the water level by 18m over a period of 22 hours.[4]
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Loch Leamhain (Gaelic: Loch a’Bhealaich Leamhain) is a glacial corrie tarn, in the high mountains to the East of Loch Earba, at an elevation of 635 AOD. The corrie drains towards the southeast. Damming the entrance would create the upper reservoir, raising the level of Loch Leamhain by around 75m to 710m AOD. When full, the reservoir would be around 1.5km long by 1km acrosss. [4]
The power station would be located on the shore of Loch Earba, with 3km long tunnels carrying water to the upper reservoir, beneath the mountain ridge that separates the two lochs.[4]
See also
[edit]- Balliemeanoch Pumped Storage Hydro
- Coire Glas power station
- Fearna Storage project
- Glen Earrach Energy
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Matthew Lynas (31 March 2025). "Largest ever UK pumped hydro scheme granted consent". PV Magazine - Energy Storage. PV Magazine. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b c Rob Hakimian (16 April 2025). "Scotland approves UK's largest pumped storage hydro project at Loch Earba". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Earba PSH Project Secures Major Planning Consent". Earba PSH project - News. Gilkes Energy. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b c "Earba Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme EIA Report Non-Technical Summary" (PDF). Gilkes Energy. February 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
External links
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