Cuileig—a benchmark for future hydropower schemes

Despite being a source of renewable energy, hydropower schemes are not particularly popular with planners due to the significant impact they can have on their immediate surroundings. However, a small run-of-river plant recently completed in Scotland—the country's first hydro project for 40 years—shows that such schemes can be both profitable and practical to build, as well as having a negligible environmental impact.This paper describes the planning, design and construction of the 3 MW Cuileig scheme—a benchmark for what looks set to be a renaissance for hydropower.