Inverness-shire - Environmental Impact Assessment

GLEN EARRACH ENERGY
ELECTRICITY ACT 1989

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997

THE ELECTRICITY WORKS (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017

Notice is hereby given that Glen Earrach Energy Limited, (“the Company”) with company registration number SC777268, having its registered office at 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 9WJ has applied to the Scottish Ministers for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct and operate a Pumped Storage Hydro scheme located on the Northwest side of Loch Ness, approximately 9.5 km to the south of Drumnadrochit, and 6.5 km north of Invermoriston within The Highland Council administration region (Central Grid Reference Headpond NH 45223 22331, and
Tailpond NH 54114 28417). The Company has also requested that a direction be made under section 57(2) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 that planning permission for the development is deemed to be granted.
The installed electrical pumping capacity of the proposed generating station would be approximately 2,000 MW and 1,800 MW of installed electrical generating capacity. The proposed development is subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (‘EIA Report’) has been submitted.

The Company has now submitted Additional Information to Scottish Ministers, which includes information relating to: Statement to Inform Habitats Regulations Assessment Updates; water environment; aquatic ecology; ornithology; and rights of way.

Copies of the additional information, the application and the EIA Report (‘the information’) are available for public inspection in person, free of charge, during normal office hours at:

The information can also be viewed on the application website at
https://www.glenearrach.energy, or at www.energyconsents.scot under application reference ECU00005121.

Copies of the information may be obtained from Glen Earrach Energy Ltd by emailing info@glenearrach.energy at a charge of £550 per hard copy of the EIA Report and £10 on USB storage device (with the exception of Volume 6: Confidential Appendices). Hard copies of a short Non-Technical Summary are available for £10 per hard copy. The Additional Information will be charged at £150 per hard copy and £10 on a USB storage device.

All previous representations received by Scottish Ministers in relation to the application remain valid.

Any new representations on the application may be submitted by email to the Scottish Government via representations@gov.scot; or by post to the Scottish Government, Energy Consents Unit, 4th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU, identifying the proposal and specifying the grounds for representation.

Written or emailed representations should be dated, clearly stating the name (in block capitals) and full postal address of those making representations. Emailed representations should also include the full return email address of those making representations. Only representations sent by email to representations@gov.scot will receive acknowledgement.

All representations should be received not later than 14th October 2025, although Ministers may consider representations received after this date.

Any subsequent additional information which is submitted by the developer will be subject to further public notice in this manner, and representations to such information will be accepted as per this notice.

Where Scottish Ministers are required to, or decide to exercise their discretion to do so, they may cause a public inquiry to be held.

Following examination of the environmental information and all views and representations received, Scottish Ministers will determine this application for consent in one of two ways:

• Consent the proposal, with or without conditions attached; or
• Reject the proposal.

General Data Protection Regulations

The Scottish Government processes representations under the Electricity Act 1989. To support transparency in decision making, the Scottish Government publishes representations online at www.energyconsents.scot.

A privacy notice is published on the Help page at www.energyconsents.scot. This explains how the Scottish Government processes your personal information. If you have any concerns about the processing of your personal information by the Scottish Government, please email
EconsentsAdmin@gov.scot or write to Scottish Government, Energy Consents Unit, 4th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU.