Our Sites

Galloway and Lanark Hydro Schemes / Galloway and Lanark Environmental Management

Emissions

Our stations at Lanark and Galloway produce no direct emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) or other greenhouse gases – the only CO₂ produced comes from the sites’ vehicles.

Prevention of pollution to watercourses is a key consideration and both sites have an excellent compliance record. Oil interceptor systems are currently being fitted to all sites to capture any oil, should a spill ever occur, before it enters rivers, streams or lochs.

Flood Management

Over the years Galloway Hydros has worked to reduce and mitigate the risk of flooding during periods of heavy or sustained rainfall.

Staff achieve this by monitoring of rainfall and river conditions throughout the scheme and by careful operation and control of its key assets, to store large quantities of water, when necessary, for gradual, controlled release when conditions permit.

Biodiversity

The Galloway and Lanark Hydros are located in environmentally-sensitive areas.

The Galloway wetlands are covered by numerous natural history designations, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), while Loch Ken, a major waterbody on the scheme, is a Ramsar site and Special Protection Area for its wintering geese.

Bonnington at Lanark is adjacent to New Lanark, a World Heritage Site, and its landholdings are designated as a SSSI for its mixed broadleaf woodland community.

Galloway and Lanark Hydros launched a BAP in 2005, aiming to preserve and enhance habitats and wildlife at the schemes.

At Galloway, site staff work closely with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to control water levels on Loch Ken, where practical, to ensure the success of breeding wading birds and ducks.

Lanark staff work in partnership with the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) who operate the 59-hectare Falls of Clyde on part of ScottishPower’s land. The company sponsor a seasonal Countryside Ranger to assist the Trust and liaise with the public and funded installation of the camera which enables peregrines to be viewed at the Falls of Clyde.

Performance - 2008

• In 2008, the Galloway Hydros supplied a total of 234 GWh of electricity while Lanark Hydros sent out 71 GWh.
• There were no environmental breaches or incidents from activities at either scheme
• We invested in new equipment designed to protect the environment from oil contained in power equipment
• A site energy efficiency audit was completed that will help the schemes to reduce their energy consumption
• We continued efforts to remove the invasive plant species Japanese Knotweed from our sites and landholdings
• We installed cabling to enable high-definition footage from a Peregrine Falcon nest at Falls of Clyde to be transmitted to the SWT’s Visitor Centre at New Lanark.