Welcome to Glendoe Hydro Scheme's online home, where you can read, watch and hear all about Scotland's newest hydro electricity power station, run by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).

SSE is a Scottish company which has its headquarters in Perth and is one of the largest energy companies in the UK. It is involved in the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity; energy trading; storage and supply of gas; electrical and utility contracting; and telecoms. However, its heart is in the Highlands, where it began life as the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in 1943.

SSE is continuing to build on its hydro heritage by constructing the first large-scale conventional hydro electric station to be built in Scotland for almost 50 years, alongside Loch Ness, at Glendoe. The 100 megawatt scheme began generating electricity at full output (100MW) in December 2008, over two months ahead of schedule.

Glendoe contributed 76 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of output in its first months of operation.

Location: Glendoe Hydro Scheme

The key aim in the development of Glendoe Hydro Scheme is that it is sustainable: central to that is the long-term involvement of the community. We look forward to continuing to work with local people and organisations to ensure they share in the success story that will keep the Highlands of Scotland at the leading edge of renewable energy in the UK, and beyond.

To celebrate the opening of the Glendoe Hydro Electric scheme by HM The Queen in June 2009, SSE invited pupils from Kilchuimen and Foyers primary schools to take part in a poetry competition on the subject of Glendoe and green energy.

Over 40 entries were received and the winning poem was written by Daniel Sheridan, aged 11 (Kilchuimen) with the runners up Eirinn Hosie (Kilchuimen) and Michael Tait (Foyers), also both aged 11. Daniel's poem is below:

The beauty of the trees
The softness of the air
The fragrance of the grass
The summit of the mountain
The dam that holds the water
The water that shoots down the pipe

And creates electricity

Daniel Sheridan, age 11
Kilchuimen Primary School