The Affric / Beauly hydro-electric power scheme for the

generation A generation refers to all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It can also be described as, "the average period, generally considered to be about 20–⁠30 years, during which children are born and gr ...

hydro-electric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

power is located in the western Highlands of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. It is based around

Glen Strathfarrar Glen Strathfarrar ( gd, Srath Farair) is a glen in the Highland region of Scotland, near Loch Ness. The Glen is part of the Affric-Beauly hydro-electric power scheme, with a dam at Loch Monar and a 9 km tunnel carrying water to an undergro ...

Glen Cannich Glen Cannich ( gd, Gleann Chanaich) is a long glen in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland and through which runs the River Cannich. Emerging from the reservoir of Loch Mullardoch, the river flows east to merge with the River Affric at the village ...

and

Glen Affric Glen Affric ( gd, Gleann Afraig) is a glen south-west of the village of Cannich in the Highland region of Scotland, some west of Loch Ness. The River Affric runs along its length, passing through Loch Affric and Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin. A mi ...

, and

Strathglass Strathglass is a strath or wide and shallow valley in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland down which runs the meandering River Glass from the point at which it starts at the confluence of the River Affric and Abhainn Deabhag to the point where ...

further downstream. The scheme was developed by the

North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board (1943–1990) was founded to design, construct and manage hydroelectricity projects in the Highlands of Scotland. It is regarded as one of the major achievements of Scottish politician Thomas Johnston, w ...

, with plans being approved in 1947. The largest dam of the scheme is at

Loch Mullardoch Loch Mullardoch is a major reservoir in Glen Cannich in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. It was created by the damming in 1951 of the River Cannich just upstream of Mullardoch House, as part of the Affric-Beauly hydro-electric power scheme. ...

, at the head of Glen Cannich. From there, a tunnel takes water to Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoinn ( Loch Benevean) in Glen Affric, via a small

underground power station An underground power station is a type of hydroelectric power station constructed by excavating the major components (e.g. machine hall, penstocks, and tailrace) from rock, rather than the more common surface-based construction methods. One or mor ...

near Mullardoch dam. Loch Benevean is also dammed, with a tunnel taking water to the main power station of Fasnakyle, near

Cannich Cannich (Gaelic: ''Canaich'') is a village at the southern end of Strathglass, in the Highlands of Scotland, about west of the city of Inverness. It is at the furthest point of the A831 that loops around the Aird from Beauly to Drumnadrochit. I ...

. To the north in Glen Strathfarrar, Loch Monar is dammed, and a tunnel carries water to an underground power station at Deanie. Further down the glen, the

River Farrar Farrar may refer to: * Cape Farrar, a headland on the Boothia Peninsula in Nunavut, Canada * Farrar, Georgia, a US unincorporated community * Farrar, Iowa, a US unincorporated community * Farrar Landing, Michigan, an unincorporated community * F ...

is dammed just below Loch Beannacharan, with a tunnel to take water to Culligran power station, which is also underground. The River Farrar joins with the River Glass near

Struy Struy ( gd, An t-Srùigh or gd, Sruidh) is a small village at the end of Glen Strathfarrar, about 15 km south-west of Beauly in the Highland council area of Scotland. Description The confluence of the River Farrar and the River Glass is ...

to form the

River Beauly The River Beauly ( gd, Abhainn nam Manach, ) is a river in the Scottish Highlands, about 15 km west of the city of Inverness. It is about 25 km long, beginning near the village of Struy, at the confluence of the River Farrar and the ...

. Downstream on the

, dams and power stations have been built in gorges at

Aigas Aigas (Scottish Gaelic: ''Àigeis'', meaning "Place of the Gap") is a small hamlet in the Highland Council area of Scotland. It is 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Beauly and 15 miles (24 km) west of Inverness, on the north bank of the Rive ...

and

Kilmorack Kilmorack ( gd, Cill Mhòraig) is a small hamlet in Inverness-shire, in the Highlands of Scotland and now in the Highland Council area. It is situated on the north bank of the River Beauly, west of Beauly and west of the city of Inverness. The ...

. As the rivers in this scheme are important for Atlantic salmon, flow in the rivers is kept above agreed levels. The dams at Kilmorack, Aigas and Beannacharn contain Borland fish lifts to allow salmon to pass. Today the scheme is owned and run by

Scottish and Southern Energy SSE plc (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy plc) is a multinational energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland Perth (Scottish English, locally: ; gd, Peairt ) is a city in central Scotland, on the banks of the River Tay. It is th ...

, having previously been owned by

Scottish Hydro Electric Scottish Hydro plc was a public electricity supplier formed on 1 August 1989 after a change of name from North of Scotland Electricity plc on that date. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index ...

until the electricity industry was privatised.

Power stations

Image:Mullardoch dam (TrevorRickard).jpg, Mullardoch Dam Image:Benevean dam (PaulHookway.jpg, Benevean Dam Image:Monar dam and intake (RichardWebb).jpg, Monar dam and intake Image:Culligran Power Station (RichardWebb).jpg, Entrance to Culligran power station Image:Aigas Power Station PH-1.jpg, Aigas power station Image:Kilmorack Power Station PH-1.jpg, Kilmorack power station Image:Deanie_Power_Station_-_geograph.org.uk_-_553286.jpg, Deanie Power Station

References

* * * * * {{Scottish energy Buildings and structures in Highland (council area) Hydroelectric power stations in Scotland Underground power stations