Glendoe hydro electric scheme resumes operations

The Glendoe hydro scheme was officially opened by the Queen in June 2009

A 100MW hydro electric scheme near Loch Ness has resumed operations after a three-year interruption caused by a rock fall.

SSE, which trades as Scottish Hydro north of the border, said Glendoe was already producing about three gigawatt hours of electricity for the network.

The £140m plant was officially opened by the Queen in June 2009.

But operations were later suspended after a rock fall in a tunnel carrying water to the facility from a reservoir.

Paul Smith, managing director of generation for SSE, said: "The work to restore electricity generation at Glendoe has been undertaken in a very rigorous way to make sure that this strategic asset meets its original design criteria and is ready to play its full part in supporting the country's electricity system for many decades to come.

"We will continue to monitor closely the performance of Glendoe to make sure that the reconstruction work has been fully successful, ensuring sustainable generation at the site, similar to that achieved at our other schemes such as Sloy on Loch Lomond which is still generating power more than 60 years after being commissioned."

SSE said Glendoe was able to start generating electricity at full capacity in just 30 seconds.

In a year of average rainfall, its output should be around 180GWh of electricity.