Work has commenced on a scheme that will deliver three separate hydro schemes near Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands.

The three projects will be linked by a 9.5km private grid network, the developer behind the scheme, Green Highland Renewables, has said.

Situated on the north shore of Loch Arkaig, the three schemes will have a total generating capacity of 2.5MW. The projects, which are 750kW, 500kW and 1250kW, are being financed by investment management group Triple Point and will be constructed by MAN Contracting.

All three schemes are expected to be completed in 2015.

Richard Round, Chief Executive Officer at Green Highland Renewables, said: "Loch Arkaig is quite remote, with challenging topography, and the cost to connect each scheme to the grid individually would have been prohibitive.

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"However by linking them together with a dedicated private grid, which then ties into the local distribution network, we can make all the projects generate an economic return.

"This is an innovative and holistic approach we have already used successfully in a number of other developments, and as degression of the hydro feed in tariff starts to bite, we will continue to be innovative in how we build and finance schemes."

Richard Sidgwick, Chair of the Achnacarry, Bunarkaig and Clunes Community Group, which will receive a royalty payment in addition to a community benefit of £5,000 per MW per year from the scheme, added: "Green Highland Renewables has worked with the community from the outset and kept us fully informed of progress at all stages; any concerns that we might have had have been addressed quickly and effectively.

"We work with the estate on a variety of issues and are delighted that these projects are now a reality, and that the benefits of involvement in renewable energy will contribute to their business."

Work first commenced on the Green Highland Renewables projects in 2009, but a majority of the time since has been on waiting for a grid connection date. The appropriate consents were secured last year.

(JP/IT)