Drax is planning a new solar power project at its historic Cruachan hydro site in Scotland, in a move that would add another source of renewable generation to one of the UK’s best-known flexible power assets.
The proposal would place solar panels on land around the Cruachan pumped storage hydro power station. The site already plays an important role in supporting the electricity system by storing power and releasing it when demand is higher. Adding solar generation would allow Drax to produce renewable electricity from the same wider location, making better use of an established energy site.
Drax is looking to increase the value of existing assets rather than relying only on large new sites. Cruachan already has strategic importance because pumped storage can help balance the grid as more wind and solar power comes online. A solar project nearby could strengthen that position and support the company’s role in the UK’s changing power system.
The plan also fits with a wider industry shift towards combining different renewable technologies in the same area. Solar can generate electricity during daylight hours, while hydro storage can help manage supply when demand changes. This type of combination is likely to become more important as the UK increases renewable generation and needs more flexible capacity to keep the system stable.
Drax Group plc (LON:DRX), trading as Drax, is a power generation business. The principal downstream enterprises are based in the UK and include Drax Power Limited, which runs the biomass fuelled Drax power station, near Selby in North Yorkshire.
