A hydro scheme that can power 2,500 homes in Sutherland has been approved by Ministers.

The 4.5 Megawatt (MW) scheme on the Maldie Burn, near Kylestrome, will create around 25 jobs during construction, with income from scheme providing increased security for employment of the estate employees.

Energy Minister Jim Mather said: "This is another hydro development, following in Scotland's long and proud tradition, that generates green energy from our vast water resources. This scheme will power 2,500 homes, create a good number of construction jobs in a remote location and provide lasting community benefits. Hydro still has an important role to play in the renewables revolution and the Maldie Burn scheme is a great example of using our natural assets to create new, low carbon jobs."

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In June 2009, RWE Npower Renewables Ltd., submitted an application for consent to for a hydroelectric generating station at Maldie Burn, near Kylestrome on the Reay Forest Estate in Sutherland with a generating capacity of 4.5 MW. Following consultation, the Highland Council raised no objections, subject to a number of conditions, and no public representations were received.

The Scottish Government's target is to meet 80 per cent of electricity demand from renewables by 2020. In 2009, 27 per cent of electricity demand came from renewables. There is around 7 Gigawatts (GW) of renewables capacity installed, under construction or consented around Scotland, which will take Scotland beyond the interim target of 31 per cent of Scotland's electricity demand from renewables by 2011.

The Scottish Government has now determined 47 energy applications, including approval for 39 renewable and three non-renewable projects since May 2007 - more than double the number of determinations than over the whole of the previous four years, in which 19 projects were determined.

The Scottish Government's Energy Consents and Deployment Unit is currently processing 32 applications (24 onshore wind, three hydro and five thermal).

(GK/KMcA)