Inverlael
Inverlael is a 2.5 MW small hydro scheme in Scotland, operated by RWE Npower. The UK government lists it as operational in its register of power stations (DUKES table 5.11, May 2025).
- Small Hydro
- Scotland
Key facts
- Installed capacity
- 2.5 MW
- Status
- Operational
- Technology
- Hydro Β· Small Hydro
- Operator
- RWE Npower
- Region
- Scotland
- Country
- Scotland
- Grid connection (DUKES)
- LV
- Combined heat & power
- No
- Coordinates
- 57.8217, -5.0625
Location
Map position from the published coordinates. For small sites this can be an approximate point rather than the exact boundary. Map Β© OpenStreetMap contributors.
How Inverlael compares
At a typical UK load factor for this technology (about 35% of the maximum possible output), a 2.5 MW station would generate roughly 7.7 GWh of electricity in a year, similar to the annual use of about 2,840 homes at 2,700 kWh each. This is an illustrative estimate, not the station's metered output: real generation varies with weather, availability and grid constraints.
Hydroelectric stations generate electricity from water flowing downhill through turbines, either from a reservoir behind a dam or from a river (run-of-river). Most UK hydro capacity is in Scotland and Wales.
All UK hydro schemes and pumped-storage stations Hydro schemes and pumped-storage stations in Scotland All run by RWE NpowerNearby generating sites
- River Cuileig Β· 3.3 MW small hydro scheme6.6 km
- Loch Dubh Β· 1.2 MW small hydro scheme16.4 km
- Vaich Power Station Β· 0.32 MW small hydro scheme19.2 km
- Lochluichart Β· 69 MW onshore wind farm23.6 km
- Corriemoillie Β· 48.5 MW onshore wind farm24.2 km
- Achanalt Power Station - A Β· 3.1 MW small hydro scheme25.0 km
- Grudie Bridge Power Station - A, G Β· 18.7 MW hydroelectric station26.6 km
- Mossford Power Station - A,G Β· 18.7 MW hydroelectric station26.7 km
Also operated by RWE Npower
RWE Npower operates 90 sites in the register. Largest first:
- Pembroke Β· gas-fired power station2,199 MW
- Didcot A Power Station Β· coal-fired power station2,000 MW
- Staythorpe Β· CCGT gas power station1,828 MW
- Didcot B Β· gas-fired power station1,450 MW
- Tilbury B Power Station Β· coal-fired power station1,050 MW
- Triton Knoll Β· offshore wind farm857 MW
- Little Barford Β· CCGT gas power station735 MW
- London Array Β· offshore wind farm630 MW
Planning history
From the government's Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD), matched to this site by location, capacity and name.
- Planning status
- Operational
- Site name in planning record
- Inverlael Hydro
- Developer / operator
- RWE npower
- Planning authority
- Highland
- Planning reference
- 05/00206/FULRC
- Application submitted
- 14 March 2005
- Permission granted
- 4 July 2007
- Construction started
- 1 September 2008
- Began operating
- 5 August 2009
- Capacity in planning record
- 2.5 MW
- Address
- Loch Broom Near Ullapool, Highland
- REPD reference
- 426
Source
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), table 5.11: power stations in the United Kingdom β operational at end of May 2025.
Capacity is installed capacity as published, not current output. Status reflects the source date, not live operation.
View the original source
Last checked by Octary: 15 July 2026
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