Hydroelectric Power: Storage

(asked on 8th September 2025) - View Source

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the number and capacity of hydroelectric pump storage facilities in (1) Wales, (2) England, and (3) Scotland; how many such facilities have been approved and are under construction; and how many are awaiting planning approval.


Answered by
Lord Wilson of Sedgefield Portrait
Lord Wilson of Sedgefield
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This question was answered on 22nd September 2025

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets an ambition of 4-6GW of long duration electricity storage (LDES) capacity, which includes pumped storage hydropower (PSH), by 2030. This is being enabled through an LDES cap and floor investment support scheme, which government announced in October 2024 and is being delivered by Ofgem. It is open to projects from all parts of Great Britain.

The British Hydro Association maintains a list of PSH projects under development in Great Britain at the following link: https://british-hydro.org/pumped-storage-hydropower/.

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