This list of power stations in Scotland includes current and former electricity-generating power stations in Scotland, sorted by type. Scotland is a net exporter of electricity and has a generating capacity of over 10 GW. None of this is generated by conventional oil- or gas-burning power stations. Instead there is one large gas turbine power station and one large nuclear power station, as well as several hydro-electric schemes, predominantly in the Highlands, comprising over 80 generating stations with a combined capacity of 1.4 GW. Scotland also has an increasing number of wind farms, due to the large proportion of upland areas. As of July 2010, there were 100 operating wind farms in Scotland with a combined capacity of 8 GW, and a further 96 projects under construction or consented, with capacity of 2 GW. A number of other power plants include experimental wave power and tidal power generators, and Steven's Croft near Lockerbie, which is the UK's largest wood-fired biomass power station. Since 2016, no coal-fired power stations operate in Scotland.
A pink background denotes a power station that is no longer operational.
Nuclear power stations
+ Name Operator Location (UK grid reference) Council area Type Capacity (MW) Commissioned Closed Chapelcross Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Dumfries and Galloway Magnox 200 1959 2004 Dounreay DFR Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Highland Fast breeder reactor 14 1962 1977 Dounreay PFR Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Highland Fast breeder reactor 250 1975 1994 Hunterston A Nuclear Decommissioning Authority North Ayrshire Magnox 360 1964 1990 Hunterston B EDF Energy North Ayrshire Advanced gas-cooled reactor 1,288 1976 2022 Torness EDF Energy East Lothian Advanced gas-cooled reactor 1,364 1988 -
Coal-fired Scotland has no operational coal-fired power stations, the last being Longannet which closed in 2016. + Name Operator Location (UK grid reference) Council area Capacity (MW) Commissioned ClosedAberdeenAberdeen City57.25operating 1959Closed Barony SSEB East Ayrshire 60 1957 1989BonnybridgeScottish Central Electric Power Co. / S.S.E.B.60operating 1959Closed Braehead SSEB NS517677 Renfrewshire 260 1951 1979Clyde's MillClyde Valley Electrical Power Co. / S.S.E.B.277.51916Closed Cockenzie ScottishPower East Lothian 1,200 1967 2013Dalmarnock Clyde Valley Electrical Power Co. / S.S.E.B.257.5ClosedDundee (Carolina Port)Dundee Corporation Dundee75.625operating 19591984Dunfermline (Townhill)Fife Electric Power Co.25.5operating 1959ClosedFalkirkScottish Central Electric Power Co.7.5operating 1959ClosedGalashiels6.625operating 1959ClosedKilmarnockAyrshire Electricity Board 60operating 1959Closed Kincardine ScottishPower Fife 760 1958 1997 Longannet ScottishPower Fife 2,400 1970 2016 Methil ScottishPower Fife 57 1965 2000 Pinkston Glasgow Corporation/S.S.E.B. Glasgow 65 1901 1960s Portobello Edinburgh Corporation/S.S.E.B. Edinburgh 1934 1977 Yoker Clyde Valley Electrical Power Co./S.S.E.B. Glasgow 100 1905 1976
Oil- and gas-fired + Name Operator Location (UK grid reference) Council area Fuel Capacity (MW) Commissioned Closed Arnish SSE Western Isles Diesel 10.3 2000 - Barra SSE Western Isles Diesel 2.5 1986 - Bowmore SSE Argyll and Bute Diesel 6.0 1946 -BrodickDiesel3.087CampbeltownDiesel3.740DaliburghDiesel1.56 Grangemouth INEOS Falkirk Gas 130 2001 - Inverkip South of Scotland Electricity Board Inverclyde Oil 1900 1970 1988 Kirkwall SSE Orkney Oil 16 1951 Lerwick A and B SSE Shetland Oil 67 1953 & 1996 -LochalshDiesel0.91 Loch Carnan SSE Western Isles Diesel 11.8 1971 - Peterhead SSE Aberdeenshire Gas 1550 1980 - Stornoway SSE Western Isles Diesel 23.5 1950 - Sullom Voe Terminal ENGIE Shetland Gas 22 (100) 1980 - Tiree SSE Argyll and Bute Diesel 2.5 1953 -TobermoryDiesel1.375
Hydro-electric Hydroelectricity relies on gravity to propel water through power-generating turbines. The difference in height between the turbine and the water source is known as the "head". Smaller "run-of-river" schemes operate only when there is sufficient water, larger schemes typically involve a storage reservoir. Pumped-storage hydro-electric power stations, can also pump water back up to the storage reservoir during periods of low electricity demand or high renewable generation.
Pumped-storage hydro-electric Scotland has two large pumped-storage hydro-electric power stations, Cruachan and Foyers. Although claimed to be the first such station in the world when it opened in 1965 by the Visit Cruachan website, Drax Group PLC's Cruachan Power Station was preceded by the Ffestiniog Power Station in North Wales, which opened in 1963, and on a smaller scale by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board's Sron Mor power station opened in 1957, part of the Shira Hydro-Electric Scheme. Cruachan can hold of energy, equivalent to 22 hours of full production. 12 hours is reserved for black start.
Name Operator Location(UK grid ref.) Council area Gross head (m) Capacity(MW) Storedenergy DatecommissionedSron Mor SSE Renewables Argyll and Bute 5 1957 Cruachan Drax Group Argyll and Bute 360 440 7 GWh or 8.8 1965 Foyers/Loch MhòrFoyers Hydro-Electric Power Scheme, Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved: 13 November 2015. SSE Renewables Highland 179 300 6.3 GWh 1974
There are several proposals for new pumped storage hydro-electric schemes in Scotland, mostly in the Great Glen;
The 600 MW Coire Glas scheme is being developed by SSE above the northwestern shores of Loch Lochy."SSE plans new £800m hydro electric storage scheme in Great Glen" BBC News, 16 February 2012. Retrieved: 21 January 2015.Wiseman, Natasha. "Coire Glas pumped storage one step nearer" 15 January 2013. Retrieved: 22 January 2015. The scheme was given planning permission in October 2020 and exploratory geotechnical work had started by December 2022.Step forward for UK’s first large-scale hydro scheme in 30 years 16 December 2022 ROB HAKIMIAN, www.newcivilengineer.com, accessed 19 December 2022
The 450 MW Loch na Cathrach (formerly called Red John) Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme to the southeast of Dores. It would involve a new upper reservoir constructed near Loch Duntelchaig. The scheme was developed by Intelligent Land Investments Group and acquired by Statkraft at the end of 2023.
An up-to 600 MW Loch Kemp Storage scheme, southwest of Loch Ness near Whitebridge. A planning application was submitted in November 2023. If built, the water level in Loch Kemp could fluctuate by up to 28 m. The Ness District Salmon Fisheries Board have raised concerns about the cumulative impact of these schemes on water levels in Loch Ness, and the effect this might have on Salmon.
The 900–1800 MW Earba Storage is being developed by Gilkes Energy in the Ardverikie Estate to the southwest of Loch Laggan. It would use Lochan na h-Earba and Loch a’ Bhealaich Leamhain as the lower and upper reservoirs, both with new dams required. An application for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act was submitted in March 2024, supported by an environmental impact assessment, and received planning consent in 2025.
A 1500 MW/45 GWh scheme is being developed in Argyll & Bute by Intelligent Land Investments Group called Balliemeanoch PSH, using Loch Awe as the lower reservoir. A planning application under Section 36 of the Electricity Act was submitted to the Scottish Government in July 2024, with the scheme aiming for completion in 2031.
A 1800 MW/37 GWh scheme at Loch Fearna above the existing reservoir at Loch Quoich is being developed by SSE Renewables and Gilkes Energy. A 2 GW/34 GWh scheme is being developed by Glen Earrach Energy (GEE) on the western shore of Loch Ness. The upper reservoir would be formed at Loch nam Breac Dearga, about half way between Drumnadrochit and Invermoriston, using Loch Ness as the lower reservoir. A 300–600 MW scheme was previously proposed by SSE under the name Balmacaan Hydro, storing up to 30 GWh. By May 2024, a consortium without SSE worked on the project. The planning application was submitted in May 2025.
Scotland has a potential for around 500 GWh of pumped storage.Storage Available University of Strathclyde Faculty of Engineering
Conventional hydro-electric Several of Scotland's hydro-electric plants were built to power the aluminium smelting industry, but many more were built in the mid-20th century by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to supply the communities of the Highlands. These were built in several "schemes" of linked stations, each covering a catchment area, whereby the same water may generate power several times as it descends.