Catrine Community Hydro Project

Catrine Community Hydro Project

Overview

The project involved clearing the village voes and lade system and refurbishing the old turbines to get them operational and generating power which could be exported to the grid to generate income for the community. Great Glen Consulting was brought in at the suggestion of the projects’ potential funders – REIF, who wanted an independent project manager to assist the Client with the funding due diligence phase.

Client Background

Catrine is a small village of around 2000 inhabitants. Although now-a-days, it is a sleepy byway, Catrine has a vibrant history as an ancient cotton mill town at the forefront of 19th century technology. The village nestles in a sheltered valley in beautiful rural Ayrshire with the often tumultuous river Ayr running through its heart (providing excellent fishing in season).

Although originally conceived by the mill owners as a model village for their workers, today Catrine comprises an eclectic mix of ancient heritage buildings and modern housing although the mill itself is long since gone. The community set up Catrine Community Renewables to develop and refurbish the village voes and lade system and refurbish the hydro turbines which once provided power to the mill.

Location

Catrine, Ayrshire

Product

The end product has been 2 refurbished Gilkes turbines (originally built in 1950’s), a new control system and a system which is now operating, generating power and therefore income for the local community.

Problem

The Client had hit a stalemate with potential funders. It also had a FITS deadline to achieve in order to avoid the project business case being destroyed

The potential funders insisted on an independent project manager being appointed to assist the client in preparing for financial/legal due diligence as part of the funding process.

Objectives

  • To get the project investor ready
  • To get the project through due diligence and secure the funding
  • To oversee the implementation
  • To deliver a successfully operating refurbished hydro scheme in a historic setting

Approach

Great Glen Consulting adopted a project management approach, working closely with the Client and funders and legal teams to identify the project journey, the legal structures required to take the project forward, put the required contracts in place and keep the client and funder updated.

Success

  • Successful due diligence and funding awarded (£1.4m)
  • Project implemented within the FITS deadline

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