Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme

The Sloy/Awe Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydro-electric facility situated between Loch Sloy and Inveruglas on the west bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland.

Sloy Dam
Sloy Power Station
Location of Sloy Dam in Scotland
Country	Scotland
Location	Argyll and Bute
Coordinates	56.2615°N 4.7636°W / 56.2615; -4.7636
Purpose	Power
Status	Operational
Construction began	1945
Opening date	1950
Owner(s)	SSE
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	buttressed
Impounds	Inveruglas Water
Height	56 m
Length	357 m
Spillways	1
Spillway type	fixed
Reservoir
Creates	Loch Sloy
Total capacity	36 million cubic metres
Sloy Power Station
Coordinates	56°15′04″N 4°42′42″W
Commission date	1950
Installed capacity	152.5 MW

The scheme was conceived by the Edinburgh architects Tarbolton & Ochterlony. Following Matthew Ochterlony's death in 1946, the scheme was progressed alone by Harold Tarbolton.[1]

Construction began in May 1945, under the auspices of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and was completed in 1949. The official opening ceremony took place on 18 October 1950 and was attended by Queen Elizabeth.[2] Historic Scotland has designated the modernist power-station building and the dam as listed buildings of categories A and B respectively.[3][4]

Twenty-one men lost their lives during the construction.[5] The labour force also included some German prisoners-of-war.

The facility is operated by Scottish and Southern Energy, and is normally in standby mode, ready to generate electricity to meet sudden peaks in demand.[6] It can reach full capacity within 5 minutes from a standing start.[7]