A 2km pipe transfers water from the intake to the powerhouse. This vertical drop, known as the 'Gross Head' of the project is 178m. The pipeline is made of two different materials - in the upper, low-pressure section HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) is used. In the lower, high-pressure section ductile iron (DI) is used. A Gilkes Twin Jet Pelton turbine is used, operating at a design flow of 488l/s. This turbine is an impulse type turbine which is optimised for high-head applications and provides high efficiency across the full range of flows.
Initial feasibility work first started in 2009. Planning permission and SEPA license were received in late 2011 and construction started in earnest in April 2012. The lead civil contractor was DA MacDonald from Lochgilphead. The project started generating in May 2013 and was delivered on time and budget despite a very cold winter which produced some challenges to access and construction procedures.
- Commissioning date: May 2013
- Location: Loch Tummel
- Turbine: Twin Jet Pelton
- Intake type: Alpine
- Gross head: 178m
- Catchment area: 8.03km²
- Maximum turbine flow: 0.488m³
- Maximum output: 730kW
- Pipeline length: 2.06km
