Environmental objections lodged to proposed hydro-electric scheme

According to the RSPB, which is the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, the proposed scheme would excavate the equivalent of around 674 Olympic-sized swimming pools of carbon-storing blanket bog and result in the loss of around 164 hectares of habitats for species like the curlew, a bird which is considered to be ‘UK red-listed’ and therefore of the highest conservation concern.

“Peatlands are one of the most effective natural solutions in the fight against climate change, storing more than twice as much carbon as the world’s forests combined,” an RSPB spokesperson explained.

And NatureScot, the lead public body responsible for advising Scottish Ministers on matters relating to natural heritage agrees.

Its spokesperson told the Advertiser: “We recognise that pumped storage hydro schemes have an important role to play in supporting the transition to a net zero economy, however in this case we have objected to the proposal due to significant adverse impacts on priority peatland habitat.”

Mr Smith was also keen to stress that his organisation champions renewable energy when it is sited in ‘the right locations’.

“People across Scotland are increasingly concerned about the impacts of climate change and the decline in our incredible wildlife. We support renewable energy and storage, and new infrastructure will be needed to tackle the climate crisis, but this must not be at the cost of important places for nature which can also play a crucial role in addressing climate change.”

The company hoping to develop the Balliemeanoch pumped storage hydro scheme is ILI Group Plc, formed in 2017 with the express aim of achieving planning consents for three such sites in Scotland. In 2021 ILI gained consent for a pumped storage hydro scheme at Loch Ness, but they have since sold the scheme and the consent to Norewegian state-owned company Statkraft.

This week a spokesperson for ILI Group told the Advertiser: “We take the environmental impact of our projects seriously and are committed to ensuring that the Balliemeanoch Pumped Storage Hydro project is developed in a responsible manner that aligns with both climate and ecological priorities.

“We acknowledge the concerns raised by the RSPB and are actively reviewing the scale of the project to reduce its environmental footprint. This review aims to address potential impacts while maintaining the project’s essential role in supporting the UK’s transition to net zero.

“ILI Group has undertaken extensive ecological assessments and consultations, including engaging with the RSPB during the Environmental Impact Assessment process. These surveys, conducted over several years, have provided a detailed understanding of the environmental landscape, and we have incorporated mitigation strategies into our plans to minimise impacts on local wildlife and peatland.”

It also projects a reduction of over 200 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the lifetime of the Balliemeanoch project.

The Balliemeanoch project, which would incorporate 3,100 hectares of land and water, proposes to create a new 58 million-cubic-metre ‘head pond’ where there is currently farmland. This would allow water to be pumped from Loch Awe to the newly created reservoir when supply outstrips demand, and then the process would be reversed to create energy when needed.