SSE gets tenders for construction of 1.5-GW pumped hydro scheme

SSE Renewables said on Wednesday it has received tenders for the main construction works for the Coire Glas hydro pumped storage project with a capacity of up to 1.5 GW in the Scottish Highlands.

The renewables unit of UK utility SSE Plc (LON:SSE) described the receipt of tenders from the six short-listed tenderers participating in the invitation to tender (ITT) process as a significant milestone for the project, which would become the first large-scale hydro pumped storage facility to be constructed in the UK for more than 30 years.

The company will now select a preferred tenderer for the mechanical and electrical works and two tenderers for the civil engineering scope. This will be followed by a ground investigation programme from July 2022 to autumn 2023 and the selection of the preferred civils tenderer in autumn 2023. Construction is then expected to begin in 2024.

SSE Renewables said the ITT has drawn global interest. The tenderers shortlisted for mechanical and electrical plant scope are a partnership between ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH and Voith Hydro GmbH & Co KG, and GE Hydro France. The parties shortlisted for the civil engineering scope include three consortia and STRABAG UK Ltd. The consortia are made up of Bechtel Ltd, Acciona Construccion SA and Webuild SpA; BAM Nuttall Ltd, Eiffage Genie Civil SA and Marti Tunnel AG; and Dragados SA and BeMo Tunnelling UK Ltd.

The Scottish government approved a revised application for the project in October 2020.

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