Plan to extend part of Loch Ness hydro power site

Part of one of Scotland's oldest hydro electric power schemes could be extended.

Foyers Power Station on Loch Ness opened in 1974, but hydro electricity has been generated in the area since the late 19th Century.

Operator SSEN Transmission has proposed an extension to the switching station, which manages the flow of electricity from the site.

A proposal of application notice (PAN) has been submitted to Highland Council ahead of planning permission for the development being sought.

Foyers is a pumped storage scheme.

It takes water from Loch Mhor in the hills above Loch Ness to drive two turbines to generate electricity at times of high demand.

Surplus electricity, usually supplied by wind farms and available at quieter times of power usage, is used to pump water from Loch Ness back up hill to refill Loch Mhor.

An £8m revamp in 2013 extended the life of the Foyers hydro scheme by several decades.

Electricity has been generated in the area since 1896 when power was needed to supply an aluminium smelter, which was shut down in 1971.