Drax has provisionally secured an agreement to provide hydro-power to the grid in the latest capacity market round.
The North Yorkshire energy giant will offer 621MW of electricity generation from its Cruachan Pumped Storage, the Galloway hydro scheme featuring Tongland, Kendoon and Glenlee - both of which are in Scotland, and three small legacy gas turbines at Drax Power Station.
Set for the period between October 2025 and September 2026, it has been agreed at a price of £30.59 per KWh - with income of around £18 million predicted.
Read more: Humber Renewables Awards returns for 2022
It comes in addition to existing agreements through to September 2025, with the company laser focused on unleashing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, anchoring huge decarbonisation plans on the Humber.
Cruachan, 300 miles north west in Argyle and Bute, is part-hidden within a hollowed out mountain, and not only produces electricity, but provides National Grid ESO with an outlet for excess generation - ensuring the system is balanced and facilitating more renewable energy.
The pioneering method launched in mid-2020 with one of the four generating units set aside. It pumps water up to a greater height, holding it there and then releasing to spin turbines when required. When demand is low water is then pumped back up to prepare the process again.
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