Salmon fishery board voices fears over Loch Ness pump storage hydro ‘Klondyke-like gold rush’
Developers are in a race to pump Loch Ness dry, according to a salmon conservation body.
Ness District Salmon Fishery Board (NDSFB) says it is “aghast” after ambitious plans were revealed for another major hydro scheme hoping to use the world-famous loch in the drive to generate more green energy.
The proposed Glen Earrach Energy (GEE) project on the Balmacaan Estate proposes pumping water between Loch Ness and Loch nam Breac Dearga.
If given the go-ahead, it could be the fifth one at Loch Ness where fears have been raised previously regarding the potential environmental and economic impact.
Loch Ness is focus for another proposed Highland hydro project
EXPLAINED: Loch Ness attracts developers in hydro ‘gold rush’
Fishery board calls for halt on development of pump storage hydro schemes using Loch Ness
Following a public consultation event in Drumnadrochit, Ness DSFB has reiterated its concerns.
The board has previously campaigned against another proposed scheme using Loch Ness and Loch Kemp, arguing dramatic fluctuations in the level of Loch Ness could spell disaster for its fragile ecosystem and the Ness’s already beleaguered wild salmon population.
Brian Shaw, director of Ness DSFB, said the proposed Glen Earrach scheme would be even bigger, and could, by itself, alter the level of Loch Ness by half a metre within 15 hours.
“The cumulative impact of Glen Earrach plus others operational, or planned, would see the water level in Loch Ness rise and fall by an astonishing one metre, or more, on a daily basis,” he said.
“From every other perspective, environmental, cultural, social and for the sake of the local economy, Loch Ness is the worst possible location for this klondyke-like gold rush to exploit its waters.”
Mr Shaw claimed that although the Glen Earrach developers said water levels would only change by 1.4cm per GWh of generation, the scheme had a capacity to deliver 30 GWh per cycle, which meant the level of Loch Ness would rise or fall by 42cm.
He also maintained Loch nam Breas Dearga, a popular fishing loch, would be destroyed.
“Ness DFSB were well aware of the environmental harm that pump storage hydro could do to the environment, not least the iconic Atlantic salmon, but what was made clear during our Loch Kemp pump storage scheme public consultations was just how many other impacts there would be on the loch and the many individuals, businesses and organisations who rely on it,” Mr Shaw said.
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“The waters of Loch Ness rise and fall, slowly, according to the natural rhythms of the season, but neither nature nor the infrastructure around the loch have evolved to cope with what would become an inland tidal loch.
“There is simply not enough water available to support all these developments, so we now face the ridiculous situation whereby multiple pump storage developers are in a race to pump the last available water in Loch Ness dry.
“This obscene Loch Ness pump storage hydro gold rush continues, with little regard for the likely serious environmental consequences.”
He said the fishery board and with concerned organisations and individuals were not against pump storage but the schemes must be in the least damaging locations.
A GEE spokesperson, said the project - formerly known as the Balmacaan PSH - was first brought forward by SSE over 15 years ago and was well advanced through planning at that time. It received its first scoping opinion from Scottish Ministers in 2009.
“The project aims to preserve the natural landscape and be as invisible as possible,” the spokesperson said.
“Early visualizations indicate minimal visual impact due to the facility's design and integration into the surrounding environment.
“Figures provided by the NDSFB assume Loch Ness is a closed bowl, which it is not. Unlike a closed bowl, Loch Ness functions more like a river with continuous water flow in and out of the basin.
“This natural inertia means that the loch is almost self-regulating, mitigating drastic water level changes even with the introduction of pumped storage hydro schemes.
“The reservoir will very rarely go from totally full to totally empty. That means 95 per cent of the time Loch Ness’s water level will move only a matter of inches, even over extended periods.
“The NDSFB’s own figures suggest GEE’s project would move less water and generate more storage and more energy than all other PSH projects on Loch Ness combined. That’s because GEE’s project uses water more efficiently than any existing or proposed PSH project on Loch Ness and in the UK.
“By using water more efficiently, we can deliver greater community, environmental, and economic benefits. For example, backing the most efficient, larger scale and least risky projects means lower costs per MW, saving consumers money. We will also develop and establish a Community Benefit Fund, and our project will save £2 billion in electricity grid running costs and reduce the carbon footprint of the entire grid by 10 per cent.
“As the landowner, we are deeply invested in the project’s success and committed to maximising its positive impact on the local environment and community. That’s why we are seeking locals’ views on how best to integrate the project into the environment and the community.
“Globally, pumped storage has relied on government support. The UK government's proposed income floor is a step in the right direction, which Glen Earrach Energy supports.
“We believe the government should prioritise projects proven to be the most efficient, cost effective and sustainable. That way they should be self-financing and in theory never have to draw on government support.”
