| Description | The annual report of the Fisheries (Electricity) Committee to the Minister 2005 |
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| ISBN | (Web Only) |
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| Official Print Publication Date | |
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| Website Publication Date | September 14, 2005 |
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2. New hydro-electric schemes of more than 1 megawatt capacity
Allt Hallater
2.1 The developer, RWE Npower, applied for section 36 consent for this scheme of circa 1.9 MW on the Allt Hallater, off River Kinglass, Loch Etive (Argyll) in January 2004 (the previous reporting year). In April, the Committee issued formal recommendations regarding a compensation flow gauge and the location of the tailrace screen.
Broken Cross Muir
2.2 In December, the Scottish Coal Company sent the Committee a Scoping Report about a long term proposal for a pumped-storage hydro-scheme (>1 MW) at its opencast coal site at Broken Cross Muir (South Lanarkshire). The Committee provided some preliminary advice and a copy of its guidance document.
Douglas Water
2.3 In June, following discussions with the Energy and Telecommunications Division regarding the draft Ministerial section 36 consent, the draft was revised to take account of the Committee's recommendations.
Glen Doe
2.4 In 2003, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) consulted the Committee about its proposed Glen Doe scheme (50-100 MW) near Fort Augustus (Inverness-shire) which would involve the creation of a high-level reservoir in Glen Tarff and make use of some of the headwaters of three of the rivers that flow northward into Loch Ness (the Rivers Tarff and Foyers and the Allt Doe). A site visit and exchanges of information and advice ensued.
2.5 In the early part of this reporting year, there were further exchanges of information and discussions about aspects of the scheme with the developer leading to the Committee issuing its recommendations in August. The 18 recommendations related to approval of final designs, compensation flow measurement, aspects of the design and operation of the collecting intakes and aqueducts, the dam and the power station tailrace, pollution prevention during the construction phase, sediment management, future changes and decommissioning, the Arctic Charr of Loch Killin, fisheries baseline studies, hydrology and compensation flow levels, and scheme impact on the lower River Tarff.
2.6 Later in the year, the developer published a second addendum to the original Environmental Statement that included a report on the Artic Charr of Loch Killin (in response to one of the Committee's previous recommendations). The Committee made further comments on the scheme, in light of the second addendum, and, having received a response from the developer, is considering whether it might be necessary to issue further recommendations.
Inverlael
2.7 In December, RWE Npower, the developer of the proposed hydro- scheme (up to 3.0 MW) on the River Lael, draining into Loch Broom, near Ullapool (Sutherland) sent the Committee a report on an electrofishing and habitat survey, and requested the Committee's comments ahead of the submission of the formal Environmental Statement. The Committee, subsequently, provided advice and comment.
2.8 On 31 March, RWE Npower submitted its section 36 application for consent and formally consulted the Committee. Recommendations will be issued in due course once the Committee has considered the information provided by the developer.
Keltney Burn
2.9 Following some initial correspondence with the Committee in 2003/04, Keltneyburn Hydro Limited, the developer of a proposed 2.0 MW hydro-scheme on the Kelty Burn at Coshieville, near Aberfeldy (Perthshire) submitted its application for section 36 consent in October and sought the Committee's recommendations on the proposal.
2.10 The Committee provided some advice on aspects of the submission and, following an exchange of information and additional comment, a site visit took place at the end of March. The Committee looks forward to receiving some further information from the developer after which it will make its recommendations.
Redburn, Glen Glass
2.11 RWE Npower provided the Committee with a scoping report for a proposed 4 MW hydro-scheme on the Redburn, Glen Glass near Evanton (Ross-shire) in July. The Committee issued a copy of its guidance document.
River Braan
2.12 The Committee provided some preliminary advice to RWE Npower, the developer of this proposed scheme (1.5-4.0 MW), on a tributary of the River Tay near Dunkeld (Perthshire) towards the end of 2003/04.
2.13 In December, RWE Npower sent the Committee a report on fisheries studies undertaken for the scheme in response to which the Committee gave some further advice.
2.14 A site visit to the River Braan in March allowed the Committee to view and comment on aspects of the proposed scheme including the location and design of the intake weir.
River E and Kingairloch
2.15 In September, the Committee was advised by SEPA that, following the presentation of further hydrological data by the developers of these schemes (RWE Npower and SSE respectively), it had notified the Scottish Executive of its agreement to accept lower compensation flows than those included in its previous responses to the respective section 36 applications. The Committee accepted the revised flows for the River E scheme but was concerned that, at Kingairloch, the lower flows could compromise the effectiveness of the fish pass. The Committee drew the developer's attention to this concern and asked the developer to investigate the implications.
Consents granted by Scottish Ministers
2.16 During the year no schemes, for which consent had been sought under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and on which the Committee had provided recommendations, were consented to by Scottish Ministers.