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Tummel Valley

Tummel hydro scheme

The Tummel scheme stretches from Dalwhinnie, famous for its whisky distillery, in the north, to the remote Rannoch Station in the west, and the town of Pitlochry in the east.

The iconic Tummel Bridge Power Station is currently undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment to ensure it can remain part of Scotland's energy mix for generations to come. Click here to find out more.

Power stations

Power stations	Capacity (MW)	Gross head (metres)	Average annual output (million units)	Year completed
Gaur	7.5	30	21	1953
Cuaich	2.5	27	7	1959
Loch Ericht	2.2	55	12	1962
Rannoch	44	156	187	1930
Tummel	34	53	142	1933
Errochty	75	186	103	1957
Trinafour	0.5	91	3	1959
Clunie	61	53	186	1950
Pitlochry	15	15	60	1950

Major dams

Major dam	Type	Length	Height	Completed
Gaur	Concrete gravity	110	13	1958
Errochty	Buttress	501	49	1957
Clunie	Mass gravity	116	21	1951
Pitlochry	Mass gravity	145	16	1951

If you're interested in our hydro heritage, visit Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre, located beside our Pitlochry Power Station in Perthshire, Scotland.

The visitor centre showcases the rich history of hydro electricity in the north of Scotland and how it transformed all our lives. On display are a number of fascinating artefacts that show how generations of homes have been transformed by electrical appliances.

Visitors will meet the visionaries, such as Tom Johnston, who saw the untapped potential of hydro power in Scotland as well as hear the stories of the Hydro Boys and Tunnel Tigers who lived – and sadly in some cases died – building the schemes.

Pitlochry’s ‘fish ladder’ was integral to the design for the hydro electricity scheme in the early 1950’s. Thousands visit the Dam to see the salmon swim to their breeding grounds up river and now everyone can learn the secrets of that incredible journey.