A 4.05km pipe transfers water from three intakes to the powerhouse. The vertical drop, known as the 'Gross Head' of the project is 247m. The pipeline is made of High Performance Poly Ethylene (HPPE) in the upper section, and Ductile Iron (DI) in the lower section. A Gilkes Twin-Jet Pelton solution is used, operating at a design flow of 766 l/s. This turbine is an impulse type turbine which is optimised for high-head, low-to-medium-flow applications and provides high efficiency at peak power.
Initial feasibility work first started in 2009. Planning permission and SEPA license were received in late 2013 and construction mobilization started in November 2014. As well as being an investment partner in the project, Gilkes Energy was also the lead engineer, providing design, project management and construction supervision services. The lead civil contractor was Global Infrastructure, an experienced civil contractor based near Inverness.
The project started generating in December 2015 and was delivered on time and on budget.
- Commissioning date: December 2015
- Location: Inverlochy, Argyll
- Turbine: Twin Jet Pelton
- Intake type: Alpine
- Gross head: 247m
- Catchment area: 7.0km²
- Maximum turbine flow: 766 l/s
- Maximum output: 1,500kW
- Pipeline length: 4.05km
