Project: 640 kw Hydro Electric Project, Snowdon, North Wales
Client: National Trust
Project Value: Approx. £1.5Million
Duration: 9 months
Project Goal:
To generate a sustainable source of electricity to power all of the National Trust properties in Wales – including castles, mansions, gardens, 45 holiday cottages and 200 farms – by carrying the overflow of water from Afon Cwm Llan on the slopes of Snowdon.
Works included:
- Pecking a safe pipe route
- Diverting a river
- Fusion welding almost 1km of 560mm diameter polyethylene pipes
- Installing nearly 0.5km of ductile iron, a reinforced concrete intake chamber and a larch cladded powerhouse, and transformer building, all of which blends seamlessly back into the Snowdonia National Park landscape.
Project challenges:
- Rock pecking in very hard granite material with compact machines
- Diverting a fast flowing river susceptible to storm surges to construct intake
- Narrow working environment around wet flush areas within the Snowdonia National Park
- Steep slopes of the mountain and extreme weather conditions posed a difficult working environment, especially for welding, construction of the reinforced concrete structure, and batching concrete
- Delivery of materials and 12m pipes using helicopter
- Concealing the pipe underground in rock and reinstatement
- Required close working relationship with an archaeologist
- Stringent CCW requirements with minimal working areas and footprints
- Working alongside the public on a popular Watkin footpath
