Plans for £800m hydro electric station in Highlands to be considered

Councillors are to consider plans for a new £800m hydro electric station in the Highlands.

Energy company SSE have put forward proposals for a 600MW plant at Coire Glas, near Spean Bridge in Lochaber.

Councillors visited the site on Monday and are due to discuss the application for planning permission on Tuesday. It has been recommended they approve the plans.

The Scottish Government will then have the final say on SSE’s proposals.

Blueprints involve the construction of a dam, reservoir, underground power station and water tunnels in the hills above Loch Lochy. If built, it would be Scotland’s biggest hydro scheme.

Local residents and businesses are opposed to the proposals claiming it will devastate the remote beauty spot which is a familiar site to travellers along the A82 Fort Augustus-Fort William road.

Construction is expected to take five or six years and create around 150 jobs.

It works by "soaking up" excess power from wind and wave farms and using it to pump water up to the reservoir. The water is then released through tunnels to generate power at times when customers need it.

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