By Rosemary Gallagher

Copyright scotsman

This is a landmark year for Cruachan Power Station, the magnificent feat of engineering with the capacity to supply renewable energy to half a million homes from its location in the heart of Argyll and Bute. And it’s certainly a special occasion for all the people who work at the plant on Loch Awe to keep it running smoothly, and for those who have previously been part of the loyal team during the last 60 years. Cruachan Power Station generates hydropower from its machine hall and turbines deep inside Ben Cruachan, known as “The Hollow Mountain”. It operates by moving water between Cruachan Reservoir, which has a storage capacity of ten million m³ of water – equal to 4,000 Olympic swimming pools – and Loch Awe. This is a height difference of 1,299 feet. Visitors can’t help but be amazed by the striking sight of Cruachan Dam itself and the dramatic landscape of the Highlands that surrounds it. The innovative project was initially the concept of Sir Edward MacColl in the 1930s, and was designed by James Williamson, a civil engineer from Lanarkshire. Construction began in 1959, involving the excavation of 220,000m² of rock and soil. Some 1,500 workers were employed at the peak of construction. Cruachan was the first reversible pumped storage hydro power station of its scale in the world and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II almost six decades ago on 15 October, 1965. It can reach full generating capacity in less than 30 seconds, playing a vital role in keeping our lights on and kettles boiling, and has become a popular visitor attraction and a key part of the local community. It employs people from the surrounding villages and towns, with many having joined straight from education and never left – it’s not unusual for generations of the same family to be employed there. Cruachan is owned by Drax, which bought the site from ScottishPower in 2018, and it is currently undergoing an £80 million upgrade to ensure it is more than fit for the future. This will enable the plant to generate 480MW of electricity, up from the current 440MW. It has been a busy year of events and community initiatives to mark its diamond anniversary, building up to a gala celebration dinner later this month. One member of the team who has first-hand knowledge of Cruachan’s heritage and the significance of its 60th birthday is Mike Wynd, Head of Hydro for Drax. He is responsible for the management of Cruachan, as well as Drax’s other hydro sites, and says: “I first started at Cruachan on the 1st of September, 1993 on a graduate training programme after leaving university. I have worked on and off at Cruachan, and other power stations, since then, covering a range of roles from assistant electrical maintenance engineer through to what I do today.” Many things have evolved during the time Wynd has worked at Cruachan, including upgrades, the replacement of power transformers, digitisation of the site, and Drax taking ownership. He says: “I often use a car analogy to describe the upgrade project. For example, if I have a sixty-year-old car and I’m trying to compete with the likes of Tesla and its equivalents, then I need to make changes to ensure it runs better and smoother. “What we’re doing is helping Cruachan compete with new technologies by upgrading it from an efficiency and power reliability viewpoint. In the early 2000s, we installed two new units and we’re now doing the same with the other two. It’s technically very interesting as you have to get inside the mindset of the original designers. We also have a good mix of different ages of people now, including our apprentices.” Wynd adds: “What has not changed over time is the overall feeling at the site. It still feels like a family to me. “I’m totally fascinated by what you find with people who work in power stations. The first power station is the one you tend to anchor back to. I say it’s like where you grow up as a person and as an engineer and Cruachan kept drawing me back. I’ve been involved with it for a long time, with its history and the big projects that have been delivered. It’s such an interesting place to work.” Talking about the anniversary year, he comments: “I was part of the 30th, 40th, 50th and now 60th celebrations. One of the first dates that I took my now wife on was to the Cruachan 30th celebrations. She’s really been involved in the Cruachan story since then and could tell you a lot about how it works and the people. “At the 50th anniversary celebrations, there was an engineer who had been involved in the construction. There are some former colleagues who were in their 40s and 50s when I started and are now in their 70s and 80s. It’s good being able to reminisce with them about the past. It’s easy to underestimate the intelligence of people who have worked here and the original designers – but they did something that had never been designed before. “I am intensely proud of the station, and also passionate about the site. It is a privilege to be part of the 60th anniversary in a senior role, leading the site into the future.” Other events to mark the site’s birthday include giveaways of tartan scarves and the production of a Lego Cruachan Dam, building up to the gala dinner for current and former employees at the station. Wynd says: “The celebration dinner is an opportunity for current and past members of staff to meet to recall memories and debate the future.” Looking ahead, he explains: “The future is challenging and exciting. The current refurbishment project is a major investment by Drax. The decarbonisation of the electrical network poses risks but also opportunities for Cruachan. As people like me reach the end of their careers, there is an opportunity for younger people to develop the site and keep Cruachan at the forefront of the electrical network.” And Wynd nicely sums up what the station means for many: “Cruachan has been a major part of my working life, yet it still provides a sense of wonder and interest. From a pure engineering viewpoint, it is fascinating to try and understand what the original designers were thinking. Cruachan gets into your sense of being – maybe it is the granite that seeps into your soul.”