New pumped storage scheme for Scottish open cast mine?

The Scottish Government has given planning consent for a pumped storage hydro scheme of up to 400 MW on the site of the former Glenmuckloch opencast coal mine in Dumfries and Galloway. If ever built, the innovative project would breathe life into the former opencast site, which has ceased commercial coaling and is now undergoing restoration works. 

The proposed scheme, a joint venture between Buccleuch and 2020 Renewables, has the potential to become a catalyst for industrial regeneration in the region; however the partners say that any proposal will require major financial investment from other partners to proceed. 

Pumped storage hydro stores electricity in times of low demand and releases it on to the national grid in peak demand periods, providing energy when required and also balancing local constraints on the electricity grid.

The Glenmuckloch site already hosts two community-owned wind turbines, and Buccleuch subsidiary, Glenmuckloch Renewable Energy, recently received planning permission from Dumfries and Galloway Council to build a further eight 3.2 MW turbines.

Alan Baker, Managing Director of 2020 Renewables, said: ‘Pumped storage brings considerable benefits to the country’s energy system. Major pumped storage schemes already exist in Scotland – for example at Foyers and Cruachan – but no new projects have been built in over 30 years. The challenge is in finding the package of support measures which will unlock private investment in the project.’