Snowdonia Pumped Hydro Limited have notified the Planning Inspectorate of an intended application for the Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage scheme.

Snowdonia Pumped Hydro (SPH) intends to build a 600 MWh pumped electricity storage facility at Glyn Rhonwy near Llanberis. The scheme was granted planning permission by Gwynedd Council in September 2013. Now SPH is applying to increase the output of the facility from 49.9MW to 99.9MW.

This would be achieved solely by increasing the capacity of the underground turbines and associated equipment. In every other respect the revised facility would remain identical to that originally approved by Gwynedd Council.

However, as the proposed 99.9MW scheme will comprise an electricity generating plant with a gross electrical output in excess of 50MW, it now falls within the definition of a "Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project" under the Planning Act 2008.

As a result, SPH now have to apply to the Secretary of State for development consent to construct, operate and maintain the proposed Development under Section 31 of the Act.

The new applications follows a review of the approved Development in the context of the Capacity Market that was recently introduced under Electricity Market Reform. SPH discussed the approved scheme with investors and construction contractors and determined that the approved Development would be more commercially and economically viable if its generation capacity could

be increased.

The application is expected to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate Q2 2015.

After receipt of the application, there will be 28 days to review the application and decide whether or not to accept it.

Click here to read the scoping report submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.