Scottish Water has officially launched its groundbreaking hydro scheme at Whiteadder Reservoir in East Lothian. The project, believed to be the first of its kind in Europe, will generate renewable energy to offset nearly a third of the power used by the Hungry Snout pumping station, which supplies drinking water to most of East Lothian.

East Lothian MSP Paul McLennan joined Scottish Water Chief Executive Alex Plant and project team members to inaugurate the new scheme.

The system utilises siphon technology to draw water over the dam, through a hydro turbine, and back into the natural environment. This process generates green energy while also managing the reservoir level during seasonal weather changes. The reservoir supplies approximately 32 million litres of water daily to the Castle Moffat Water Treatment Works.


"I am delighted to be here today to push the button on the hydro turbine and officially switch on this pioneering technology," said Mr McLennan. "It has been great to have the opportunity to see it in person and very encouraging to hear how Scottish Water is leading the way on these types of renewables projects, not just in the UK but in Europe too."

"This hydro scheme is a great example of the innovation that we are trying to foster at Scottish Water and how we can make use of our assets in a way which helps propel us towards our net zero target of 2040," said Alex Plant, Scottish Water’s Chief Executive. "Not only will the renewable energy generated from this scheme help to power the Hungry Snout pumping station, but it also means we are freeing up energy from the grid in an area where demand for power often outstrips capacity which is a positive thing for the local communities here."

The project was led by Scottish Water Horizons and delivered by renewable energy specialists Emtec Energy.

"This has been a fantastic project to be a part of and it is exciting to see it officially coming into operation," added Donald MacBrayne, Scottish Water Horizons Business Development and Delivery Manager. "We look forward to developing more innovative renewables schemes like this alongside Scottish Water in the coming years, helping towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040."