Field Visit
Date 2010
Event ID 881893
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/881893
This building formed the powerhouse and smelter for the British Aluminium Company factory. The building originally contained 5 Girard turbines and Oerlikon DC generators, with two additional auxiliary sets. The building went out of commission in 1965, and is currently used for large plant storage for the nearby Foyers Pumped storage plant. A small 5 MW turbine is still in operation using the original infrastructure for the BAC factory retaining the functional use of the site. This site is highly significant as it represents the earliest large scale commercial application of hydroelectric generation in Scotland. The site retains a large amount of original built fabric of early date, although generation has now largely ceased at this site (apart from one small turbine). The building is largely in use as a large plant store for the nearby pumped storage facility. The scheme was highly influential with BAC developing both Kinlochleven and Lochaber as a result of the successful application of HEP to aluminium smelting as pioneered at Foyers. The architectural scheme, inspired by nearby castellated and baronial styles was developed at a direct response to the objections raised to the impact which the development would have on the scenic amenity of the area. As at Kinlochleven the development included a community of approximately 250 people at its height, housed in the adjacent village built at the same time as the smelter. J R Hume, 1977; PL Payne, 1988; E Wood, 2002; J Miller, 2002.
