It is the first of three small run-of-river hydropower schemes in Glen Lyon to be developed by Green Highland Renewables.

The hydropower scheme costs around £1.8 million to develop and is being constructed under an option and lease agreement. It is expected to be completed within 9 months.

The Roroyere Hydro Scheme is part of the Glen Lyon Partnership hydro project which is a series of 7 planned hydropower developments that has also required investment in 20 km of 33 kV underground cabling in the Glen to enable connection to the National Grid.

Alastair Riddell, Managing Director at Green Highland Renewables, says “Scotland is absolutely ripe for more hydropower. We have been successfully using the technology here for more than 100 years. Our terrain and our climate are ideally suited to it, with many suitable sites in the Highlands for small and medium sized schemes.

“Glen Lyon is not unique – this formula can be replicated in many other locations through the Highlands, or where former hydro schemes have fallen into disrepair but are primed for re-development.”

In its 2008 study, the Forum for Renewable Energy Development identified 657 MW of economically viable potential small scale hydropower. A recent Scottish Government update raised the potential to 1.2 GW.