A 1.8km pipe transfers water from two intakes to the powerhouse. This vertical drop, known as the 'Gross Head' of the project is 85m. The pipeline is made of Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic (GRP) and High Performance Polyethylene (HPPE). A Gilkes Francis solution is used, operating at a design flow of 3,020 l/s. This turbine is a reaction type turbine which is optimised for low-head, high-flow applications and provides high efficiency at peak power.
Construction mobilization started in May 2016. As well as being an investment partner in the project, Gilkes Energy is also the lead engineer, providing design, project management and construction supervision services during the construction phase, as well as managing the operation and maintenance of the facility thereafter.
The project started generating in September 2017 and was delivered on time and on budget.
- Commissioning date: September 2017
- Location: Strathcarron, Wester Ross
- Turbine: Francis
- Intake type: Alpine
- Gross head: 85m
- Catchment area: 39km²
- Maximum turbine flow: 3,020 l/s
- Maximum output: 2MW
- Pipeline length: 1.8km
