# Drax plans solar project at Cruachan hydro site

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/drax-plans-solar-project-at-cruachan-hydro-site/4121251329
- Published: 2026-05-12T09:20:00+01:00
- Author: Amilia Stone

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](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/company/drax-group-plc/drx.l)**(
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._

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