Pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH), or pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing. A PSH system stores energy in the form of gravitational potential energy of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost surplus off-peak electric power is typically used to run the pumps. During periods of high electrical demand, the stored water is released through turbines to produce electric power.
Loch Awe is a large body of freshwater in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. It has also given its name to a village on its banks, variously known as Loch Awe or Lochawe. There are islands within the loch such as Innis Chonnell and Inishail.
The Falls of Foyers are two waterfalls on the River Foyers, which feeds Loch Ness, in Highland, Scotland. They are located on the lower portion of the River Foyers, and consist of the upper falls, with a drop of 46 feet (14 m) and the lower falls, which drop 98 feet (30 m).
The Shoalhaven Scheme is a dual-purpose water supply and Pumped-storage Hydroelectricity scheme located on the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
The Tummel hydro-electric power scheme is an interconnected network of dams, power stations, aqueducts and electric power transmission in the Grampian Mountains of Scotland. Roughly bounded by Dalwhinnie in the north, Rannoch Moor in the west and Pitlochry in the east it comprises a water catchment area of around 1,800 square kilometres and primary water storage at Loch Ericht, Loch Errochty, Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel, in Perth and Kinross. Water, depending on where it originates and the path it takes, may pass through as many as five of the schemes nine power stations as it progresses from north-west to south-east. The scheme was constructed in the 1940s and 50s incorporating some earlier sites. It is managed by SSE plc.
The Glendoe Hydro Scheme for the generation of hydro-electric power is located in the Monadhliath Mountains near Fort Augustus, above Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The change in financial incentives following the publication of the Renewables Obligation in 2001 caused Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to reconsider a number of schemes that had been mothballed in the 1960s by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, and plans for the Glendoe scheme were resurrected.
The Cruachan Power Station is a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK. The scheme can provide 440 MW of power and produced 705 GWh in 2009.
The Grand'Maison Dam is an embankment dam on L'Eau d'Olle, a tributary of the Romanche River. It is located in Vaujany of Isère within the French Alps. The primary purpose of the dam is to serve as the upper reservoir for a pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme where Lac du Verney located lower in the valley is the lower reservoir. The dam was constructed between 1978 and 1985 with its power station being commissioned in 1987. With an installed capacity of 1,800 MW, it is the largest hydroelectric power station in France.
The Breadalbane Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydroelectric scheme in the Breadalbane area of Perthshire, Scotland. It comprises seven power stations which generate 120MW of power from the dams around Loch Lyon, Loch Earn and Loch Tay.
Coire Glas power station is a proposed 1.5GW pumped storage hydroelectric power station in the Scottish Highlands. If built, it will double the UK's ability to store energy for long periods.
Chliostair Hydro-Electric Scheme is a small scheme promoted by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board on Harris, Outer Hebrides. It consists of a single power station powered with water from Loch Chliostair, and was commissioned in 1960.
Gisla Hydro-Electric Scheme was a small scheme promoted by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It consisted of a single power station powered with water from Loch Coirceabhat, and was commissioned in 1960.
The Shira Hydro-Electric Scheme is a project initiated by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to use the waters of the River Shira, the River Fyne and other small streams to generate hydroelectricity. It is located between Loch Fyne and Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. It consists of three power stations and three impounding dams.
The Awe Hydro-Electric Scheme was the penultimate scheme developed by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. It centres around Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, on the southern edge of the Scottish Highlands. It consists of three power stations, two conventional hydro-electric stations, and the Cruachan power station, the first large pumped storage scheme built by the Board. It was completed in 1965.
Inver Hydro-Electric Scheme is a remote hydro-electric plant on the Scottish island of Jura, part of the Inner Hebrides. Construction began in 2011, and it was operational by June 2012. It is the third scheme built on the Inver Estate, but the first to be connected to the National Grid. It can produce 2 MW of electric power.
Kerry Falls Hydro-Electric Scheme, sometimes known as Gairloch is a small-scale hydro-electric power station, built by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and commissioned in 1952. It is located near Gairloch in Wester Ross, part of the Highlands of Scotland. It was originally designed to supply power to local communities in this remote area, but is now connected to the National Grid.
Kilmelfort Hydro-Electric Scheme is a small-scale hydro-electric power station, built by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and commissioned in 1956. It is located near Kilmelford in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was originally designed to supply power to the local communities around Kilmelford, but is now connected to the National Grid.
Loch Gair Hydro-Electric Scheme is a small-scale hydro-electric power station, built by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and commissioned in 1956. It is located near Lochgair, a hamlet to the north-east of Lochgilphead, Argyll and Bute in Scotland. It was originally designed to supply power to Lochgilphead and the surrounding communities, but is now connected to the National Grid.
The Fearna Storage project is a proposed pumped storage hydro (PSH) scheme in the Scottish Highlands.
