Tummel Bridge Power Station officially reopened by Scotland’s First Minister

Perthshire’s iconic Tummel Bridge Power Station was officially opened by Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney MSP, following a £50 million refurbishment supported by Stantec, a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting.

The iconic site is once again generating renewable electricity following the successful installation and energisation of two new hydro power turbines. Stantec’s client, SSE Renewables, undertook a £50 million investment to repower the hydro station and increase its potential output from 34 to 40 megawatts (MW) during optimum conditions.

The project involved the replacement of the station’s two original ‘Camel Back’ twin-runner, horizontal Francis hydro turbines, which were installed in 1933, with new modern runner technology. This will extend the power station’s working life by at least 40 years. Stantec’s teams led on the civil design works, supporting SSE Renewables with investigating the replanting and replacing of the turbines and generation units, which are some of the largest of their kind. The new modern units will significantly improve efficiency and enable a higher generation output by extracting the maximum energy from the available water.

 “It’s a very proud moment for SSE Renewables and the Hydro team to host Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney at Tummel Bridge, said Robert Bryce director of Hydro SSE Renewables. He continued: “The Tummel Bridge refurbishment programme is one of the largest single investments we’ve made in our existing hydro fleet, and clearly supports hydro’s vital role in the path to achieving UK and Scottish net zero carbon emissions targets. Tummel Bridge has been a part of the energy landscape for generations and this investment will see this iconic site continue to play a crucial role in Scotland’s energy mix for decades to come.”

Craig Scott, director of Hydropower at Stantec, added: “Refurbishment schemes like Tummel Bridge are an integral piece of our low carbon future. Retrofitting existing energy assets with modern, highly efficient equipment, rather than rebuilding them, brings added value for our clients as well as the communities they serve. Both in terms of project costs and carbon reduction. This plant is an important part of local history, culture, and Scottish innovation, and we’re proud our staff have been deeply involved in helping secure its future alongside SSE.”

John Ord, Stantec’s UK & Ireland Energy business director commented: “The UK’s energy sector is set to undergo a transformation over the years ahead and Stantec is perfectly positioned to support clients with industry-leading design and engineering services. I’m excited to see Stantec’s teams continue to support more schemes like this over the next few years.”

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Media Contact
Calum Metcalfe
Stantec Media Relations
Phone: (+44) 07928 501 112
calum.metcalfe@stantec.com