As of 2018[update],hydroelectric power stations in the United Kingdom accounted for 1.87 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, being 2.2% of the UK's total generating capacity and 4.2% ofUK's renewable energy generating capacity. This includes four conventional hydroelectric power stations andrun-of-river schemes for which annual electricity production is approximately 5,000 GWh, being about 1.3% of the UK's total electricity production.[2] There are also fourpumped-storage hydroelectric power stations providing a further 2.8 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, and contributing up to 4,075 GWh of peak demand electricity annually.[3][4]
The potential for further practical and viable hydroelectricity power stations in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 146 to 248 MW for England and Wales,[5] and up to 2,593 MW for Scotland.[6]
Interest inhydropower in the UK rose in the early 2010s due to UK and EU targets for reductions in carbon emissions and the promotion ofrenewable energy power generation through commercial incentives such as theRenewable Obligation Certificate scheme (ROCs) andfeed-in tariffs (FITs). Before such schemes, studies to assess the available hydro resources in the UK had discounted many sites for reasons of poor economic or technological viability, but studies in 2008 and 2010 by the British Hydro Association (BHA) identified a larger number of viable sites, due to improvements in the available technology and the economics of ROCs and FITSs.[5][6] However, during the same period there have been significant reductions in costs of other renewable energy sources such as offshore wind and photovoltaics,[7] this has resulted in reduced competitiveness of large scale hydroelectric schemes in the UK. There are no large scale hydroelectric scheme planned in the UK as of 2020. However, it is predicted that pumped storage will play an increasingly important role in the UK electricity grid in future years as more intermittent sources ofelectricity generation come on line.[8]
 | This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: FITs and RO have closed. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2024) |
Schemes up to 50 kW are eligible for FITs, and schemes over 5 MW are eligible for ROCs. Schemes between 50 kW and 5 MW can choose between either. The UK Government's National Renewable Energy Action Plan of July 2010 envisaged between 40 and 50 MW of new hydropower schemes being installed annually up to 2020. The most recent feedback for new hydro schemes is for 2009, and only about 15 MW of new hydropower was installed during that year.[2]
![United Kingdom gross electricity supplied from Hydro between 1920 and 2012 (GWh), including for pumped-storage schemes[3]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aUK_hydro_elec_supplied.PNG)
![United Kingdom annual electricity generation from hydroelectricity between 1990 and 2012 (GW hours), excluding pumped-storage schemes[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aUK_hydro_elec_generated.PNG)
![United Kingdom net installed hydroelectricity capacity between 1990 and 2012 (MW), excluding pumped-storage schemes[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aUK_hydro_net_declared_capacity.PNG)
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| Name | Operator | Location | Capacity (kW) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clachan[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 40,000 | |
| Cruachan Dam[4] | Drax Group | Argyll, Scotland | 440,000 | Pumped-storage |
| Dinorwig Power Station[4] | First Hydro Company | Gwynedd, Wales | 1,728,000 | Pumped-storage |
| Errochty[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 75,000 | |
| Ffestiniog Power Station[4] | First Hydro Company | Gwynedd, Wales | 360,000 | Pumped Storage |
| Glendoe Hydro Scheme[11] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 100,000 | 600 m hydraulic head (largest in the UK) |
| Glenlee | Drax Group | Scotland | 24,000 | |
| Glenmoriston[12] | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 37,000 | |
| Inverawe[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 25,000 | |
| Kendoon | Drax Group | Scotland | 24,000 | |
| Lochaber | Alcan Primary Metals - Europe | Highland, Scotland | 84,000 | |
| Maentwrog | Nuclear Decommissioning Authority | Gwynedd, Wales | 30,000 | |
| Rannoch[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 48,000 | |
| Rheidol | Statkraft | Ceredigion, Wales | 56,000 | 3 dams: Dinas 13.5 MW, Cwm Rheidol 41 MW + 1 MW |
| Sloy[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 160,000 | Plans for conversion to pumped storage unveiled in May 2023[14] |
| Tongland | Drax Group | Scotland | 33,000 | |
| Tummel[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 34,000 | |
| Aigas[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 20,000 | |
| Bonnington | Drax Group | Scotland | 11,000 | |
| Carsfad | Drax Group | Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland | 12,000 | |
| Cashlie[16] | SSE Renewables | Perthshire, Scotland | 11,000 | |
| Cassley[17] | SSE Renewables | Sutherland, Scotland | 10,000 | |
| Ceannacroc Power Station[12] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 20,000 | |
| Culligran Unit 2[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 17,100 | |
| Dinas Power Station | Stratkraft | Ceredigion, Wales | 13,500 | |
| Dolgarrog High-Head Power Station | Conwy Road | Dolgarrog Power Station, Dolgarrog, Nr Conwy, Wales | 18,400 | |
| Dolgarrog Low-Head Power Station | Conwy Road | Dolgarrog Power Station, Dolgarrog, Nr Conwy, Wales | 14,980 | |
| Earlstoun | Drax Group | Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland | 14,000 | |
| Finlarig[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 16,900 | |
| Grudie Bridge[18] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 18,600 | |
| Invergarry[12] | SSE Renewables | Invergarry, Inverness-shire, Scotland | 19,975 | |
| Kilmorack[15] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 20,000 | |
| Kinlochleven Hydro Power Station | Alcan Primary Metal - Europe | Argyll, Scotland | 19,500 | |
| Livishie[12] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-Shire, Scotland | 17,000 | |
| Mossford[18] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 18,600 | |
| Nant[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 15,000 | |
| Orrin[18] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 18,000 | |
| Pitlochry[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 15,000 | |
| Quoich[12] | SSE Renewables | Tomdoun, By Loch Garry, Nr Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland., Scotland | 22,000 | |
| Shin[17] | SSE Renewables | Sutherland, Scotland | 18,620 | |
| St Fillans[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 16,830 | |
| Torr Achilty[18] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 15,000 | |
| Achanalt[18] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 3,100 | |
| Allt na Lairige[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll and Bute, Scotland | 6,000 | |
| Ardverikie | Ardverikie Estates Ltd | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 1,100 | |
| Beeston Weir | Novera Energy | Nottinghamshire, England | 1,676 | largest run-of-river scheme in England |
| Black Rock | Npower Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,000 | |
| Braevallich Hydro Station | Npower Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 2,274 | |
| Broken Cross Muir Hydro | The Scottish Coal Company Ltd | Scotland | 1,000 | |
| Callop | Broadland properties | Scotland | 1,087 | |
| Carnoch | Npower Renewables | Scotland | 1,350 | |
| Chliostair Power Station | SSE Renewables | Harris, Hebrides, Scotland | 1,320 | |
| Chonais | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,500 | |
| Cuaich[10] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,500 | |
| Cuileig Power Station | SSE Renewables | Wester Ross, Scotland | 3,300 | |
| Culligran Comp Set | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,000 | |
| CWM Rheidol Hydro Dam | Stratkraft | Ceredigion, Wales | 1,000 | |
| Dalchonzie[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 4,000 | |
| Deanie[15] | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,800 | |
| Douglas Water Power Station | Npower Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 3,000 | |
| Drumjohn Power Station | Drax Group | Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland | 2,200 | |
| East Aberchalder | Npower Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 3,500 | |
| Elan Valley | Novera Energy | Powys, Wales | 3,113 | |
| Eredine Hydro Project | NPower renewables | Argyll and Bute, Scotland | 2,500 | |
| Falls Of Unich | Npower Renewables | Angus, Scotland | 6,000 | |
| Fasnakyle[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-Shire, Scotland | 7,701 | |
| Foyers Falls | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 5,036 | |
| Foyers[4] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 300,000 | Pumped-storage |
| Franklaw Hydro at Franklaw Water Treatment | United Utilities PLC | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,000 | |
| Garrogie Power Station | Npower Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,400 | |
| Gaur[10] | SSE Renewables | Perthshire, Scotland | 7,900 | |
| Glenn Dubh Hydro | Npower Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,000 | |
| Inverar Hydro | Npower Renewables | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,100 | |
| Inver broom | Norgen (Ffestiniog) Ltd | Highland, Scotland | 3,170 | |
| Inverfarigaig | GreenPower | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 4,000 | |
| Inverlael | Npower Renewables | Scotland | 1,250 | |
| Kerry Falls | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 1,250 | |
| Kielder Power Station | Northumbrian Water Ltd | England | 5,500 | largest conventional hydro in England |
| Kilmelfort[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 2,500 | |
| Kingairloch Hydro | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 3,500 | |
| Lairg[17] | SSE Renewables | Sutherland, Scotland | 3,500 | |
| Lednock[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 3,000 | |
| Lochay[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 47,000 | |
| Little Loch Roag | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 1,000 | |
| Llyn Brianne | Novera Energy | Carmarthenshire, Wales | 4,600 | |
| Llyn Celyn | Novera Energy | Wales | 4,507 | |
| Loch Dubh | SSE Renewables | Wester Ross, Scotland | 1,200 | |
| Loch Eilde Mor | Hydro Plan (for Alcan) | Highland, Scotland | 7,000 | |
| Loch Ericht Power Station | SSE Renewables | perthshire, Scotland | 2,200 | |
| Loch Gair[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 6,000 | |
| Loch Turret WTW | Scottish Water | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,950 | |
| Lochay Compensation Generator | SSE Renewables | Perthshire, Scotland | 2,000 | |
| Lochiel Estate | Highland Light and Power Ltd | Highland, Scotland | 1,315 | |
| Lubreoch[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 5,000 | |
| Lussa[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 2,400 | |
| Maldie Burn | Npower Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 2,000 | |
| Mary Tavy Power Station | South West Water Ltd | Devon, England | 2,600 | |
| Mucomir[19] | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 2,000 | |
| Mullardoch Tunnel[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,400 | |
| Nostie Bridge[20] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 1,300 | |
| River E Power Station | Npower Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 3,000 | |
| Siadar | wavegen / Npower Renewables | Scotland | 3,000 | |
| Sron Mor[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 5,000 | |
| Stonebyres Power Station | Drax Group | Lanarkshire, Scotland | 6,000 | |
| Storr Lochs | SSE Renewables | Isle of Skye, Scotland | 2,400 | |
| Striven[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 8,000 | |
| Trossachs | SSE Renewables | Stirlingshire, Scotland | 2,500 | |
| Urlar Hydro | Bolfracks Estate | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,400 | |
| Victoria Falls Station | CRF Hydropower | Argyll, Scotland | 1,120 | |
| Wimett Station | Highland Light & Power | Devon, England | 1,430 |
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