Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom

, hydroelectric power stations in the United Kingdom accounted for 1.87GW of installed electrical generating capacity, being 2.2% of the UK's total generating capacity and 4.2% of UK's renewable energy generating capacity. This includes four conventional hydroelectric power stations and run-of-river schemes for which annual electricity production is approximately 5,000GWh, being about 1.3% of the UK's total electricity production. There are also four pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations providing a further 2.8GW of installed electrical generating capacity, and contributing up to 4,075GWh of peak demand electricity annually.

The potential for further practical and viable hydroelectricity power stations in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 146 to 248MW for England and Wales, and up to 2,593MW for Scotland.

Interest in hydropower in the UK rose in the early 2010s due to UK and EU targets for reductions in carbon emissions and the promotion of renewable energy power generation through commercial incentives such as the Renewable Obligation Certificate scheme (ROCs) and feed-in tariffs (FITs). Before such schemes, studies to assess the available hydro resources in the UK had discounted many sites for reasons of poor economic or technological viability, but studies in 2008 and 2010 by the British Hydro Association (BHA) identified a larger number of viable sites, due to improvements in the available technology and the economics of ROCs and FITSs. However, during the same period there have been significant reductions in costs of other renewable energy sources such as offshore wind and photovoltaics, this has resulted in reduced competitiveness of large scale hydroelectric schemes in the UK. There are no large scale hydroelectric scheme planned in the UK as of 2020. However, it is predicted that pumped storage will play an increasingly important role in the UK electricity grid in future years as more intermittent sources of electricity generation come on line.

Schemes up to 50kW are eligible for FITs, and schemes over 5MW are eligible for ROCs. Schemes between 50kW and 5MW can choose between either. The UK Government's National Renewable Energy Action Plan of July 2010 envisaged between 40 and 50MW of new hydropower schemes being installed annually up to 2020. The most recent feedback for new hydro schemes is for 2009, and only about 15MW of new hydropower was installed during that year.

Statistics for UK hydroelectric schemes

List of UK hydroelectric schemes over 1 megawatt

Name Operator Location Capacity (kW) NotesClachanSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland40,000Cruachan DamDrax GroupArgyll, Scotland440,000Pumped-storageDinorwig Power StationFirst Hydro CompanyGwynedd, Wales1,728,000Pumped-storageErrochtySSE RenewablesScotland75,000Ffestiniog Power StationFirst Hydro CompanyGwynedd, Wales360,000Pumped StorageGlendoe Hydro SchemeSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland100,000600m hydraulic head (largest in the UK)GlenleeDrax GroupScotland24,000GlenmoristonSSE RenewablesHighland, Scotland37,000InveraweSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland25,000KendoonDrax GroupScotland24,000LochaberAlcan Primary Metals - EuropeHighland, Scotland84,000MaentwrogNuclear Decommissioning AuthorityGwynedd, Wales30,000RannochSSE RenewablesScotland48,000RheidolStatkraftCeredigion, Wales56,0003 dams: Dinas 13.5MW, Cwm Rheidol 41MW + 1MWSloySSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland160,000Plans for conversion to pumped storage unveiled in May 2023TonglandDrax GroupScotland33,000TummelSSE RenewablesScotland34,000AigasSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland20,000BonningtonDrax GroupScotland11,000CarsfadDrax GroupKirkcudbrightshire, Scotland12,000CashlieSSE RenewablesPerthshire, Scotland11,000CassleySSE RenewablesSutherland, Scotland10,000Ceannacroc Power StationSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland20,000Culligran Unit 2SSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland17,100Dinas Power StationStratkraftCeredigion, Wales13,500Dolgarrog High-Head Power StationConwy RoadDolgarrog Power Station, Dolgarrog, Nr Conwy, Wales18,400Dolgarrog Low-Head Power StationConwy RoadDolgarrog Power Station, Dolgarrog, Nr Conwy, Wales14,980EarlstounDrax GroupKirkcudbrightshire, Scotland14,000FinlarigSSE RenewablesScotland16,900Grudie BridgeSSE RenewablesScotland18,600InvergarrySSE RenewablesInvergarry, Inverness-shire, Scotland19,975KilmorackSSE RenewablesScotland20,000Kinlochleven Hydro Power StationAlcan Primary Metal - EuropeArgyll, Scotland19,500LivishieSSE RenewablesInverness-Shire, Scotland17,000MossfordSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland18,600NantSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland15,000OrrinSSE RenewablesRoss-shire, Scotland18,000PitlochrySSE RenewablesScotland15,000QuoichSSE RenewablesTomdoun, By Loch Garry, Nr Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland., Scotland22,000ShinSSE RenewablesSutherland, Scotland18,620St FillansSSE RenewablesScotland16,830Torr AchiltySSE RenewablesRoss-shire, Scotland15,000AchanaltSSE RenewablesRoss-shire, Scotland3,100Allt na LairigeSSE RenewablesArgyll and Bute, Scotland6,000ArdverikieArdverikie Estates LtdInverness-shire, Scotland1,100Beeston WeirNovera EnergyNottinghamshire, England1,676largest run-of-river scheme in EnglandBlack RockNpower RenewablesHighland, Scotland3,000Braevallich Hydro StationNpower RenewablesArgyll, Scotland2,274Broken Cross Muir HydroThe Scottish Coal Company LtdScotland1,000CallopBroadland propertiesScotland1,087CarnochNpower RenewablesScotland1,350Chliostair Power StationSSE RenewablesHarris, Hebrides, Scotland1,320ChonaisSSE RenewablesHighland, Scotland3,500CuaichSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland2,500Cuileig Power StationSSE RenewablesWester Ross, Scotland3,300Culligran Comp SetSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland2,000CWM Rheidol Hydro DamStratkraftCeredigion, Wales1,000DalchonzieSSE RenewablesScotland4,000DeanieSSE RenewablesHighland, Scotland3,800Douglas Water Power StationNpower RenewablesArgyll, Scotland3,000Drumjohn Power StationDrax GroupDumfries and Galloway, Scotland2,200East AberchalderNpower RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland3,500Elan ValleyNovera EnergyPowys, Wales3,113Eredine Hydro ProjectNPower renewablesArgyll and Bute, Scotland2,500Falls Of UnichNpower RenewablesAngus, Scotland6,000FasnakyleSSE RenewablesInverness-Shire, Scotland7,701Foyers FallsSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland5,036FoyersSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland300,000Pumped-storageFranklaw Hydro at Franklaw Water TreatmentUnited Utilities PLCPerth & Kinross, Scotland1,000Garrogie Power StationNpower RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland2,400GaurSSE RenewablesPerthshire, Scotland7,900Glenn Dubh HydroNpower RenewablesHighland, Scotland3,000Inverar HydroNpower RenewablesPerth & Kinross, Scotland1,100Inver broomNorgen (Ffestiniog) LtdHighland, Scotland3,170InverfarigaigGreenPowerInverness-shire, Scotland4,000InverlaelNpower RenewablesScotland1,250Kerry FallsSSE RenewablesHighland, Scotland1,250Kielder Power StationNorthumbrian Water LtdEngland5,500largest conventional hydro in EnglandKilmelfortSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland2,500Kingairloch HydroSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland3,500LairgSSE RenewablesSutherland, Scotland3,500LednockSSE RenewablesScotland3,000LochaySSE RenewablesScotland47,000Little Loch RoagSSE RenewablesScotland1,000Llyn BrianneNovera EnergyCarmarthenshire, Wales4,600Llyn CelynNovera EnergyWales4,507Loch DubhSSE RenewablesWester Ross, Scotland1,200Loch Eilde MorHydro Plan (for Alcan)Highland, Scotland7,000Loch Ericht Power StationSSE Renewablesperthshire, Scotland2,200Loch GairSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland6,000Loch Turret WTWScottish WaterPerth & Kinross, Scotland1,950Lochay Compensation GeneratorSSE RenewablesPerthshire, Scotland2,000Lochiel EstateHighland Light and Power LtdHighland, Scotland1,315LubreochSSE RenewablesScotland5,000LussaSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland2,400Maldie BurnNpower RenewablesHighland, Scotland2,000Mary Tavy Power StationSouth West Water LtdDevon, England2,600MucomirSSE RenewablesHighland, Scotland2,000Mullardoch TunnelSSE RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland2,400Nostie BridgeSSE RenewablesRoss-shire, Scotland1,300River E Power StationNpower RenewablesInverness-shire, Scotland3,000Siadarwavegen / Npower RenewablesScotland3,000Sron MorSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland5,000Stonebyres Power StationDrax GroupLanarkshire, Scotland6,000Storr LochsSSE RenewablesIsle of Skye, Scotland2,400StrivenSSE RenewablesArgyll, Scotland8,000TrossachsSSE RenewablesStirlingshire, Scotland2,500Urlar HydroBolfracks EstatePerth & Kinross, Scotland1,400Victoria Falls StationCRF HydropowerArgyll, Scotland1,120Wimett StationHighland Light & PowerDevon, England1,430

Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom

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