Livishie Power Station
Hydroelectric Power Station (20th Century)
Site Name Livishie Power Station
Classification Hydroelectric Power Station (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Great Glen Hydroelectric Scheme
Canmore ID 312946
Site Number NH31NE 12
NGR NH 35307 15986
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/312946
- Council Highland
- Parish Urquhart And Glenmoriston
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Inverness
- Former County Inverness-shire
Field Visit (2010)
Livishie Power Station was the final component of the Great Glen scheme to be built and was amongst the last of the commissions made by NoSHEB. It is a relatively small station with only a 15MW capacity. This results predominantly from the fact that it has no associated storage reservoir. Instead water is gathered from the River Morriston and a number of surrounding smaller streams in the catchment. Water from the tailrace discharges into Dundreggan Dam (see separate item) which provides daily storage for Glenmorriston Power Station (see separate item) lying directly beneath it.The Great Glen scheme is characterised by the use of underground stations with other examples including Ceannacroc and Glenmorriston. The design of subterranean stations was pioneering for this date with most developments using surface stations and steel penstocks for the pressure system. PL Payne, 1988, 5; E Wood, 2002, 38; J Miller, 2002.
Note (25 October 2023)
The Great Glen scheme: Garry/Moriston
The garry part of the scheme uses the storage facility at Loch Quoich to supply Quoich power station via a tunnel from the dam, which is a rockfill type. Two further dams were required at the west end ofthe loch. The outflow goes vis the River Garry to Loch Garry, and eventually via a tunnel to Invergarry power station at Loch Oich. There is a dam at the east end of Loch Garry. A fish stopper and trap were built down stream of Quoich power station.
Storage for Moriston section was provided by damming Loch Loyne and Loch Cluanie, and interconnecting them by a tunnel. A second tunnel from Loch Cluanie supplies Ceannacroc power station which discharges int the River Moriston, which in turn feeds Loch Dundreggan. This loch is also fed by the outflow of Livishie power station, supplied by a system of aqueducts. Glenmoriston power station is just below the Dundreggan dam. Its outflow reaches the River Moriston at Loch Ness via a tunnel. These three power stations were built underground for environmental reasons. The control centre for the the entire scheme is at Fort Augustus. The total output capacity is 114MW. The scheme was built between 1949 and 1962.
Information from NRHE catalogue number WP007424 compiled by George Walker in 2005.