Geo-data specialist Fugro has won a ground investigation contract from energy company SSE Renewables for its Coire Glas hydro pumped storage scheme in Scotland.
It has a potential capacity of up to 1500MW. Fugro said SSE Renewables would make a £100 million ($123 million) investment to see the project progress as the first large-scale pumped storage scheme to be developed in the UK for more than 40 years.
The site has a large lower reservoir (Loch Lochy) and a significant elevation of more than 500 metres between the lower and the new upper reservoir site over a relatively short distance.
If constructed, Coire Glas would more than double Britain’s existing electricity storage capacity, according to Fugro. The results from Fugro’s investigation will be used to understand the current site conditions. It will assess potential ground risks associated with future developmental phases of the scheme.
Matthew Chappell, Fugro’s Service Line Director of Site Investigation UK said: “As pumped hydro storage will play a crucial role in the decarbonisation of the UK’s electricity supply, we are committed to collaborating with SSE Renewables to deliver our bespoke data acquisition solution to ensure the safe engineering of this critical asset.”
The remote location, high elevation and challenging weather conditions, means Fugro will use specialised all-terrain vehicles and helicopters to access the site and transport equipment.
